PROVO, Utah – The BYU women's soccer team opens the unique 2020-21 season on Saturday, Jan. 30, against in-state foe Weber State. The exhibition match is being played at Zions Bank Real Academy in Herriman, Utah, and will be broadcast live at 5:05 p.m. MST on BYUtv.
Head coach Jennifer Rockwood returns for her 26th season, following a historic 2019 campaign that saw BYU earn a 21-1-1 overall record, a second-consecutive West Coast Conference Championship and a quarterfinal appearance in the NCAA tournament. The lone loss of the season came on the road against No. 1 ranked Stanford in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The Cardinal went on to win the College Cup.
Rockwood was named the conference coach of the year for the fourth time after leading BYU to a seventh WCC championship since joining the conference in 2011.
The Cougars return 2019 WCC Player of the Year Mikayla Colohan who accounted for 16 goals and seven assists a season ago. Colohan was recently selected by the Orlando Pride with the 14th overall pick in the 2021 National Women's Soccer League Draft. She will compete for BYU this spring, then finish her collegiate eligibility in the fall before turning professional.
Cameron Tucker also returns for her senior campaign after registering 12 goals and nine assists in 2019. The Cougars lost seven seniors but return five of its starters for the 2020-21 season.
Regular season play begins on February 6, as the Cougars face rival Utah at Zions Bank Real Academy before heading to California for three-straight matches against UCLA, USC and San Diego.
BYU (0-0-0) vs. Weber State (0-1-0)
- Saturday, Jan. 30, at 5:05 p.m. MST
- Zions Bank Real Academy
- Television: BYUtv and the BYUtv App
- TV Talent: Jarom Jordan (play-by-play) and Carla Haslam (analyst)
WEBER STATE. The Wildcats are coached by first-year head coach Craig Sanders, who was an assistant in 2019. A native of Durban, South Africa, Sanders was an early catalyst in the development of Weber State soccer when he coached the men’s club team to three national titles in four years in 1992, 1994 and 1995. The WSU women’s soccer team is 0-1 on the season having lost an exhibition match to UVU, 1-0, Jan. 16.
COUGARS VS. WILDCATS. The last time BYU and WSU met in soccer was Nov. 15, 2013 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars defeated the Wildcats 4-0 to advance to the second round. BYU holds 15-0-1 series record over WSU. The teams haven't played on a neutral field since 2005 in Salt Lake City.
SPECTATORS. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and to ensure the health and safety of the student-athletes and staff, the match will not be open to the public but will be broadcast live on BYUtv.