Completed Event: Soccer versus BYU on October 30, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 2
Final Score
Soccer
0
vs BYU
2
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The University of Utah Athletics
Thursday, August 15
Salt Lake City, UT
7 p.m.
University of Utah
vs
Gonzaga
Soccer
Photo by: Eli Rehmer/Utah Athletics
Utah Soccer Season Opener against Gonzaga on Thursday
8/13/2024 11:50 AM | Soccer
Utes to host Bulldogs at Ute Field for first time since 2010
SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah women's soccer team has officially completed preseason and is pumped and ready to open their 2024 season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Ute Field.
THURSDAY'S MATCHUP
Date | Time: Thursday, August 15 |7 p.m. (MT)
Utah (0-0-0) vs. Gonzaga (0-0-0)
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah | Ute Field
Live Stats: Click Here
Live Broadcast: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @UtahWSoccer
Game Day Promotions
All campers received a link to claim a free ticket online, and are encouraged to wear their camp shirts. All Utah students who show a valid Utah ID at the marketing table will receive a voucher for $1 hot dogs.
About Gonzaga
The Utes haven't matched up with the Bulldogs since a 2-1 loss in 2010 at the Washington State Invitational in Pullman, Wash. Before that, the Utes played host to Gonzaga in a 2004 match that ended in Utah's favor, 2-1. Thursday will be the third Utah vs. Gonzaga game in program history.
This season is the first season Head Coach Katie Benz is at the helm. She started with the Bulldogs in 2021 as an assistant coach, before being promoted in December of 2023. After the program had a successful 2023 season, Benz is aiming to continue the Zags' dominance of the West Coast Conference. The 2024 team has 28 players, 16 of which are underclassmen.
Season Opening Stats
Utah has started their home schedule with a victory four out of the five past seasons, with an all-time home opening record of 23-6. The biggest margin of victory for home openers was against Utah Valley in 2009, with the Utes shut out the Wolverines 6-0.
Since 1995, the Utes have recorded 16 wins for season opening games. Out of the 29 games, only four have ended in a tie.
2024 Utah Women's Soccer Roster
Coach Hideki Nakada has assembled a squad that consists of 13 returners and 12 newcomers. The list of players back in Utah Red include 2023 leading scorer Katie O'Kane and Taliana Kaufusi, who topped the team in goals in 2022. Brooklyn Blaylock and 2023 assists leader Kelly Bullock have also returned after starting all 20 matches a season ago, as has Kasey Wardle, who finished as one of the conference leaders in saves as a sophomore.
Among the many new Utes on Nakada's roster are true freshmen Callie Blaylock, Londyn Lovell, Mia Paugh, Siena Zunino, Katie Callaway and Bella Ganiere. The Utah staff also added six transfers, including sophomore Landen Matthews, junior Erin Gibbs, senior Devi Dudley and graduate students Grace Watkins, Rachel Bastone and Ava Hetzel.
NCAA Appearances
The Utes are heading into 2024 aiming for their ninth NCAA Tournament berth and their first since 2019. Utah's best showing the national postseason occurred in 2016, when victories over Texas Tech and Florida State propelled them to the Sweet 16.
2024 Schedule
After Thursday's match, Utah will host three more games at Ute Field before traveling to LSU on Sept. 5. This four- match home stretch will kick off a schedule where the Utes play at home a total of 11 times. This season, Utah will face off against two ranked teams, BYU and Texas Tech, and a match against TCU who is receiving votes nationally. The Ute's first Big 12 match will take place at Ute Field on Sept. 12, where they'll square off with the Arizona Wildcats.
New Conference, Same Utes
The 2024 campaign will be Utah's first as members of the Big 12, the fourth different conference the Utes have competed in since the program's inception as members of the WAC in 1995. Utah posted a 7-8-2 mark during that initial season, then went 13-7 in 1999 when they played in the Mountain West Conference for the first time. Their first foray into Pac-12 play was in 2011, when they finished 10-9-1.
The list of new league foes the Utes will have to contend with include a Texas Tech team that won the conference's regular season title, then reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament, as well as a BYU squad that reached the College Cup for the second time in three seasons. Utah will also be taking the field against Iowa State and Kansas State for the first time in program history.
New Year, New Staff
In addition to the new faces on the field for the Utes, coach Hideki Nakada also added two new coaches to his staff.
Assistant coach Travis Smith officially came on board in January after three seasons at Kansas, where he helped the Jayhawks rack up 20 victories, including wins over squads ranked as high as No. 9 in the nation. Smith also spent time at Brandeis High School, where his pupils included three all-state and seven all-region selections. He helped the squad to a district title in 2018 and, two years later, the Broncos finished the season ranked at No. 9 in the state.
Fellow assistant Jackie Poortinga was hired in May after a busy last several years that included functioning as Phoenix Rising's Director of Goalkeeping, a position she's held since 2021. Her responsibilities there included overseeing the development of the organization's goalkeepers, developing and implementing the team's goalkeeper training curriculum and identifying talent for the purposes of improving the roster. She also functioned as an Assistant Goalkeeper Coach for the Phoenix Rising FC Men's USL Championship team.
Tickets
Season tickets for 2024 are currently on sale, with single-match tickets going on sale on Aug. 12. Tickets can be purchased by visiting utahtickets.com/soccer/. All ticket sales are cashless and all tickets are digital, including MUSS Tickets. Pre-purchasing tickets will allow fans to obtain the best price. Those on the Utah player pass list will have their tickets added to their account associated with the email provided by the student-athletes.
To ensure a successful experience with digital ticketing, fans are encouraged to download their tickets to the wallet on their smartphone for presentation upon arrival at the stadium gates to expedite the entry process. Ticket sales and customer service will be available at the ticket office near the main entrance.
Next Up
Come cheer on the Utes at home as they take on Grand Canyon University for the first time in program history, at Ute Field on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer).
THURSDAY'S MATCHUP
Date | Time: Thursday, August 15 |7 p.m. (MT)
Utah (0-0-0) vs. Gonzaga (0-0-0)
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah | Ute Field
Live Stats: Click Here
Live Broadcast: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @UtahWSoccer
Game Day Promotions
All campers received a link to claim a free ticket online, and are encouraged to wear their camp shirts. All Utah students who show a valid Utah ID at the marketing table will receive a voucher for $1 hot dogs.
About Gonzaga
The Utes haven't matched up with the Bulldogs since a 2-1 loss in 2010 at the Washington State Invitational in Pullman, Wash. Before that, the Utes played host to Gonzaga in a 2004 match that ended in Utah's favor, 2-1. Thursday will be the third Utah vs. Gonzaga game in program history.
This season is the first season Head Coach Katie Benz is at the helm. She started with the Bulldogs in 2021 as an assistant coach, before being promoted in December of 2023. After the program had a successful 2023 season, Benz is aiming to continue the Zags' dominance of the West Coast Conference. The 2024 team has 28 players, 16 of which are underclassmen.
Season Opening Stats
Utah has started their home schedule with a victory four out of the five past seasons, with an all-time home opening record of 23-6. The biggest margin of victory for home openers was against Utah Valley in 2009, with the Utes shut out the Wolverines 6-0.
Since 1995, the Utes have recorded 16 wins for season opening games. Out of the 29 games, only four have ended in a tie.
2024 Utah Women's Soccer Roster
Coach Hideki Nakada has assembled a squad that consists of 13 returners and 12 newcomers. The list of players back in Utah Red include 2023 leading scorer Katie O'Kane and Taliana Kaufusi, who topped the team in goals in 2022. Brooklyn Blaylock and 2023 assists leader Kelly Bullock have also returned after starting all 20 matches a season ago, as has Kasey Wardle, who finished as one of the conference leaders in saves as a sophomore.
Among the many new Utes on Nakada's roster are true freshmen Callie Blaylock, Londyn Lovell, Mia Paugh, Siena Zunino, Katie Callaway and Bella Ganiere. The Utah staff also added six transfers, including sophomore Landen Matthews, junior Erin Gibbs, senior Devi Dudley and graduate students Grace Watkins, Rachel Bastone and Ava Hetzel.
NCAA Appearances
The Utes are heading into 2024 aiming for their ninth NCAA Tournament berth and their first since 2019. Utah's best showing the national postseason occurred in 2016, when victories over Texas Tech and Florida State propelled them to the Sweet 16.
2024 Schedule
After Thursday's match, Utah will host three more games at Ute Field before traveling to LSU on Sept. 5. This four- match home stretch will kick off a schedule where the Utes play at home a total of 11 times. This season, Utah will face off against two ranked teams, BYU and Texas Tech, and a match against TCU who is receiving votes nationally. The Ute's first Big 12 match will take place at Ute Field on Sept. 12, where they'll square off with the Arizona Wildcats.
New Conference, Same Utes
The 2024 campaign will be Utah's first as members of the Big 12, the fourth different conference the Utes have competed in since the program's inception as members of the WAC in 1995. Utah posted a 7-8-2 mark during that initial season, then went 13-7 in 1999 when they played in the Mountain West Conference for the first time. Their first foray into Pac-12 play was in 2011, when they finished 10-9-1.
The list of new league foes the Utes will have to contend with include a Texas Tech team that won the conference's regular season title, then reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament, as well as a BYU squad that reached the College Cup for the second time in three seasons. Utah will also be taking the field against Iowa State and Kansas State for the first time in program history.
New Year, New Staff
In addition to the new faces on the field for the Utes, coach Hideki Nakada also added two new coaches to his staff.
Assistant coach Travis Smith officially came on board in January after three seasons at Kansas, where he helped the Jayhawks rack up 20 victories, including wins over squads ranked as high as No. 9 in the nation. Smith also spent time at Brandeis High School, where his pupils included three all-state and seven all-region selections. He helped the squad to a district title in 2018 and, two years later, the Broncos finished the season ranked at No. 9 in the state.
Fellow assistant Jackie Poortinga was hired in May after a busy last several years that included functioning as Phoenix Rising's Director of Goalkeeping, a position she's held since 2021. Her responsibilities there included overseeing the development of the organization's goalkeepers, developing and implementing the team's goalkeeper training curriculum and identifying talent for the purposes of improving the roster. She also functioned as an Assistant Goalkeeper Coach for the Phoenix Rising FC Men's USL Championship team.
Tickets
Season tickets for 2024 are currently on sale, with single-match tickets going on sale on Aug. 12. Tickets can be purchased by visiting utahtickets.com/soccer/. All ticket sales are cashless and all tickets are digital, including MUSS Tickets. Pre-purchasing tickets will allow fans to obtain the best price. Those on the Utah player pass list will have their tickets added to their account associated with the email provided by the student-athletes.
To ensure a successful experience with digital ticketing, fans are encouraged to download their tickets to the wallet on their smartphone for presentation upon arrival at the stadium gates to expedite the entry process. Ticket sales and customer service will be available at the ticket office near the main entrance.
Next Up
Come cheer on the Utes at home as they take on Grand Canyon University for the first time in program history, at Ute Field on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer).
Players Mentioned
DEF
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
DEF
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
DEF
/ Soccer
GK
/ Soccer
DEF
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
MID
/ Soccer
FOR
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Soccer
MID
/ Soccer
DEF
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