Resilience on Display: Breaking Down the 2025 Cougar Campaign

The Cougars won their first Big 12 title and made their 10th Sweet 16 appearance in 2025.

Author Brenna Seeman
Resilience on Display: Breaking Down the 2025 Cougar CampaignResilience on Display: Breaking Down the 2025 Cougar Campaign
Abby Shelton/BYU
25wSOC vs Utah State 03825wSOC vs Utah State 038 25wSOC vs Utah State BYU Wins 2-0 September 6, 2025 Photo by Sydnie Alder/BYU photo.byu.edu
25wSOC at Utah 24025wSOC at Utah 240 25wSOC at Utah BYU - 2 Utah - 0 October 30, 2025 Photo by Aaron Cornia/BYU Photo © BYU PHOTO 2025 All Rights Reserved photo@byu.edu (801)422-7322
25wSOC vs Arizona 13325wSOC vs Arizona 133 25wSOC vs Arizona BYU Wins 3-2 October 16, 2025 Photo by Abby Shelton/BYU photo.byu.edu

PROVO, Utah – The BYU women’s soccer team concluded its remarkable 2025 season with a Big 12 Tournament title and a run to the NCAA Sweet 16.

Finishing with a record of 11-7-6, the Cougars finished the season with an RPI ranking of No. 20. BYU ended the year ranked at No. 11 in the TopDrawerSoccer poll and No. 20 in the United Soccer Coaches national rankings. BYU’s young starting lineup clinched six home field wins and the Cougar backline and goalkeeper unit tallied eight shutouts on the year.

With one of the best environments in NCAA soccer, the Cougars finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation for accumulative attendance (37,954) and No. 2 in the nation for average attendance (3,450). BYU’s South Field had 3,998 more fans attend soccer games this year compared to the 2024 season.

Heading into the final game of the regular season, the Cougars were in a four-way tie for the final spot in the Big 12 Soccer Tournament. After beating Utah 2-0 on Ute Field, BYU earned the final spot and the No. 8 seed in the conference tournament.

In the game against Utah, BYU’s starting goalkeeper Paiton Collins went down with a season-ending knee injury. Junior transfer from the University of Utah, Chelsea Peterson, stepped up as BYU’s keeper through postseason play.

BYU’s historic road to victory started with a first-round matchup against the top-seeded Horned Frogs on their home field. After the double overtime match ended in a 2-2 draw, the Cougars edged out TCU in a 4-3 penalty kick shootout to advance to the second round of the tournament. 

The Cougars blew past then-No. 23 Baylor with a 4-0 shutout victory to earn a spot in the Big 12 Soccer Tournament Championship game against No. 7-seeded Kansas. 

Courtesy of a goal by junior standout forward Ellie Walbruch and seven saves by goalkeeper Peterson, the Cougars took home the Big 12 Tournament title with a 1-0 victory.

With her goal in the championship match, Walbruch led the conference with five goals in the tournament, the first player to accomplish that feat since 1997. The next closest player in goals scored this season in the tournament was Hope Leyba of Colorado with two. Walbruch ended the year with a team-high 16 goals, the most by a BYU player in a single year since 2021.

In Peterson’s first three starts for BYU, she secured a tournament-high two shutouts and 17 saves, averaging 5.67 saves per game. She posted a 0.895 save percentage and a 0.62 goals against average on the week. 

During the Big 12 Soccer Tournament Championship trophy presentation, Walbruch was named Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Week and Peterson earned the title of Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Week.

BYU’s historic tournament run featured the first No. 8 seed to win a Big 12 Soccer Tournament title. As a team, the Cougars had 40 total shots, averaging 13.33 per game. BYU led the tournament in goals (7), points (22) and assists (8).

The Cougars had four different goal-scorers in the tournament and an impressive six players who tallied assists. 

Following the tournament, four Cougars were named to the Big 12 All-Tournament Team. This 11-player roster featured Walbruch, Peterson, Lucy Kesler and Izzi Stratton.

With an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Cougars earned a No. 5 seed and hosted in-state foe Utah State in the first round. 

As double overtime ended in a 1-1 tie, BYU prepared for its second PK shootout in two weeks. In a thrilling 11-round shootout, the Cougars advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 7-6 edge. Peterson had three saves during the shootout to help her team survive and advance.

The Cougars faced UCLA in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and again ended up in a penalty-kick shootout. With Peterson stopping UCLA’s first two attempts and all four BYU players converting their shots, BYU advanced past its third PK shootout in three weeks.

It marked the most PK shootouts BYU has ever had in a postseason and the first time the Cougars have advanced on back-to-back shootouts.

BYU fell 6-0 to No. 1 Stanford in the Sweet 16, marking the first time since 2002 the Cougars have conceded six goals in a match.

BYU led the Big 12 in total shots (389) and shots per game (16.21) this season. Walbruch finished the year second in the conference in shots (91) and shots on goal (41), and third in goals with a career-high 16.

With Mackenzee Vance being the only senior this year, the Cougars relied heavily on their underclassmen on the pitch. 

Struggling with some injuries early in the year, the Cougars saw 13 different starting lineups this season. However, BYU had the same starting lineup in every postseason match, including the Big 12 tournament and the NCAA Tournament.

BYU’s three players who started all 24 games this season were Walbruch, sophomore defender Presley Freeman and freshman midfielder Mia Lopez. 

Cougar Standouts

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Ellie Walbruch, Junior

Walbruch’s career-high season places her atop the Cougars in goals (16), shots (91) and shots on goal (41). Her 16 goals place her among BYU’s most prolific goal-scorers, tying her for No. 13 in the record book for most goals in a single season. She now joins current professional players Cameron Tucker, Mikayla Cluff and Michele Vasconcelos in that category. Her 91 shots rank No. 10 in the record book for most shots in a single season. She also added one assist for a total of 33 points as a junior forward. Named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List and the All-Big 12 First Team, Walbruch proved to be a force in BYU’s attack. Walbruch scored her first career hat trick this season against Arizona and earned her first-ever Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honor. She is one of only 14 players ever to record a hat trick for BYU. With four multiple-goal games this year, she is now tied for No. 4 for the most multiple-goal games in a single season. In her two seasons at BYU, Walbruch has tallied 27 goals, ranking No. 19 in the program’s career record book. Scoring in five straight games during conference play, Walbruch became one of only four players in BYU history to record a goal in five or more consecutive matches. Following the 2025 season, Walbruch became a USC Second Team All-American.

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Chelsea Peterson, Junior

After BYU’s starting goalkeeper went down with a knee injury in the final game of the regular season, Peterson came in and played every minute of every game throughout BYU’s historic postseason run. In her first three career starts for the Cougars during the Big 12 Tournament, Peterson tallied 18 saves and two shutouts. After her season-high eight saves in the championship match, Peterson was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the tournament and earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Tournament Team. The junior goalkeeper transfer from the University of Utah played eight games for the Cougars, totaling 34 saves for a save percentage of .773.

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Lucy Kesler, Sophomore

Kesler started 22 games this season, missing just two while attending a U-20 USWNT Training Camp. With 1,681 minutes on the pitch, Kesler scored her first career brace against Oklahoma State and added three assists to her stat sheet. She joined her cousin Walbruch on the Big 12 All-Tournament Team, the All-Big 12 First Team and the All-Midwest Region First Team to close out a stellar sophomore season for the Cougars. Ahead of the 2025 season, Kesler attended the USYNT College ID Camp. Following the 2025 season, Kesler became a USC Third Team All-American.

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Izzi Stratton, Junior

After missing the 2024 season while serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Stratton played a crucial role as BYU’s starting center back this year. Starting in 20 games for the Cougars, Stratton tallied one assist and 24 shots. She played a team-high 1,900 minutes on the pitch, helping the Cougars notch eight shutouts on the year. Stratton earned her first career Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after week 11. She was named to the Big 12 All-Tournament Team, All-Big 12 Second Team and NCAA All-Midwest Region Second Team following her junior season. Stratton went four-for-four in penalty kicks during BYU’s postseason which consisted of PK shootouts against TCU, Utah State and UCLA. In BYU’s penalty kick shootout against Utah State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Stratton converted two PK’s to help her team advance in the tournament.

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Presley Freeman, Sophomore

Freeman earned a spot on the All-Big 12 Second Team after a year of firsts. The Atlanta, Georgia native has played in 45 consecutive games for BYU, dating back to the start of the 2024 season. She is the only player on the BYU roster to have started and played every game the last two seasons. This year, Freeman scored her first collegiate goals, notching two on the season. She totaled 1,682 minutes on the pitch, and a career-high two goals, four assists and eight shots to earn All-Big 12 Second Team honors. Ahead of the 2025 season, Freeman attended the USYNT College ID Camp.

Freshman Phenoms

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Mia Goettsche

Earning her first-career start against UVU early in the season, Goettsche became an integral part of BYU’s offense and was named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. Playing in all 24 games and starting in 15, Goettsche recorded five goals and five assists as a true freshman. She also earned Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors twice this season.

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Mia Lopez

Lopez joined teammate Goettsche on the All-Big 12 All-Freshman Team after starting in every game for BYU this season. Just behind Walbruch, Lopez tallied six goals and 30 shots on the year, earning two Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors herself. Her first collegiate goal came against Minnesota, while her first career brace was against Cincinnati at South Field.

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Afton Perry

The Saratoga Springs, Utah native played in all 24 games for BYU as a true freshman. Because of some early-season injuries, Perry started in 10 games for the Cougars. She scored her first collegiate goal against UVU and her first career assist against Arizona. She totaled one goal, three assists and 22 shots for 1,298 minutes on the pitch.

BYU had five players who scored their first collegiate goals this season: Sophie Sivulich (1), Afton Perry (1), Mia Lopez (6), Presley Freeman (2) and Mia Goettsche (5).

Junior forward Mattyn Summers-Oviatt scored her first goal for BYU this season, after transferring from St. Louis in 2024. She totaled four goals on seven shots for the Cougars this season.

The Cougars had seven players compete in their first collegiate matches this season: Paiton Collins, Sophie Sivulich, Kate Denney, Afton Perry, Mia Lopez, Mia Goettsche and Cassidy Drago.