Upcoming Event: Soccer versus Kansas on October 26, 2025 at 1 p.m.
1 p.m.
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Soccer
vs Kansas
The University of Utah Athletics
Thursday, October 23
Salt Lake City, Utah
7 p.m.
University of Utah
vs
Arizona State
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Midfielder/Defender
/ Soccer
Photo by: Jack Mackenzie
Utes Wrap Regular Season with Three-Match Home Stretch
10/22/2025 9:00 AM | Soccer
Utah hosts Arizona State, Kansas this week before the regular season finale next week.
SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women's soccer team will play its last three matches of the 2025 regular season at Ute Field and are fighting for a spot in the 2025 Big 12 Conference Tournament. With only the league's top eight teams making the tournament field, the Utes will need strong results in the final matches of the season in order to return to the championship for the second year in a row.
The first matchup will take place at Ute Field in Salt Lake City on Thursday, when the Utes are scheduled to face the Arizona State Sun Devils at 7 p.m., followed by a Sunday matinee match against the Kansas Jayhawks at 1 p.m.
Game Day Promotions
On Thursday, the Utes will have Halloween-themed Utah women's soccer shirts to give away to the first 200 fans through the gates, which will open at 6 p.m. Sunday will be Senior Day for the Utes, as the program's senior class of Erin Gibbs, Brooklyn Blaylock, Alex Schoenstadt, Devi Dudley, Kelly Bullock, Grace Watkins, Ava Hetzel, Ryann Cull and Ali Swensen will be honored pregame.
Last Time Out
Utah encountered two of its toughest tests of the season last week, facing a pair of opponents ranked in the NCAA Committee's top 16 teams. The Utes first took on the No. 21 Colorado Buffaloes at Ute Field and held a 22-10 shot advantage for the contest, but ultimately fell 2-1. Erin Gibbs made four saves in goal and Callie Blaylock found the back of the net for the first time in her sophomore campaign in the physical contest that saw each side whistled for eight fouls.
The Utes then hit the road for the final time in the regular season, traveling to Waco, Texas, to square off against No. 10 Baylor. The Utes were defeated, 2-0, though Utah kept pace in terms of shots (10/12) and shots on goal (3/4). Ava Hetzel made a number of strong defensive plays to keep Utah in the game and put two terrific chances on goal in the effort.
Utah is 2-2 in its last four outings, including back-to-back shutout wins over Houston and Arizona.
Scouting the Sun Devils
Arizona State enters Thursday's match with an identical Big 12 record as Utah at 2-4-2. ASU snapped a three-match losing streak last time out with a 1-1 draw against Iowa State. Four Sun Devils – Tatum Thomason, Cameron Valladares, Addison Baltodano and Sierra Bergen – have all logged ten or more points this season while 11 different players have scored for Graham Winworth's club.
The Utes and Sun Devils will be meeting for the 19th time on Thursday, with the overall tally standing at 8-6-4 in Utah's favor. Utah is also 6-1-1 against ASU in Salt Lake City, including a 2-0 triumph over the then-No. 18 Sun Devils in 2023.
Scouting the Jayhawks
Kansas will face off against the Utes after first squaring off with BYU in Provo on Thursday night. The Jayhawks enter the week with a 10-3-3 record and a 4-3-1 mark in Big 12 play, sitting sixth in the league table and riding a three-match unbeaten streak. Kansas opened the year by going unbeaten in nonconference play, the first time in program history it has done so, and is 4-1-1 away from its home field overall. Lexi Watts and Jillian Gregorski lead the team with 16 and 14 points, respectively, while Caroline Castans ranks third in the Big 12 in assists and was named to the Hermann Trophy midseason watch list.
Utah is 2-2-0 all-time against Kansas, with both wins coming at Ute Field. The Jayhawks won last year's matchup, 2-0, in Lawrence, the first time the two programs faced off as conference opponents.
Senior Class
The Utes have plenty of experience on their roster, which includes seven seniors, Erin Gibbs, Brooklyn Blaylock, Alex Schoenstadt, Kelly Bullock, Ryann Cull, Sophie Bellini and Ali Swensen, and three graduate students, Devi Dudley, Grace Watkins and Ava Hetzel.
Blaylock, Bullock and Cull are all entering their fourth season at Utah and have appeared in 158 total matches during their collegiate careers. Blaylock and Cull have been fixtures on the back line for the Utes, combining for 82 starts, while Bullock is coming off an all-conference season and will add to her total of 54 starts from 2022-24.
Schoenstadt came to Salt Lake City in time for the start of the 2023 season and will be back in action after an injury knocked her out for 2024. Gibbs, Dudley, Watkins and Hetzel are all in their second year with the Utes while Swensen and Bellini will be in their initial Utah campaign.
New Utes
Bellini and Swensen are two of 12 new players Hideki Nakada added to his roster during the offseason, a group comprised of two seniors, one sophomore and nine freshman. Malaspina is the newest addition to the goalkeeper room after starting her career at UC Colorado Springs and defender Madison Encinas also came out of the portal after spending a redshirt year at Baylor.
From the prep ranks, the Utes added goalkeeper Emeline McClenahan, defender Reese Kennel, midfielder and defender Mimi Yamamoto, midfielders Shannon Davidson, Eliza Smith and Addison Lockerby and forwards Julia Oka and Abby Affleck.
Oh Captains, My Captains
Utah will be led by its three graduate students this season. Devi Dudley, Grace Watkins and Ava Hetzel will serve as the team's three captains during the 2025 campaign. The trio has combined to play in 245 collegiate games.
Coaches Corner
Last season, head coach Hideki Nakada hired a pair of new assistant coaches in Travis Smith and Jackie Poortinga. The two return for their second seasons with Utah in 2025 and will be joined by new assistant coach Sam Gomez.
Gomez brings with him a wealth of experience that includes time as the Girls Director of Coaching at the Utah Athletic Academy and head coach of the girls soccer team at Highland High School. Gomez has also honed his skills as a coach at Port Orchard FC, Impact United and Kitsap Alliance FC.
Prior to moving into the coaching ranks, he played professionally in the Honduran 1st Division with Real CD Espana, as well as with San Diego 1904 FC in the NISA. This followed a collegiate career at Cal State University Bakersfield, where he was an academic all-conference selection and earned a degree in Kinesiology.
NCAA Tournament History
The Utes enter 2025 aiming to reach the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in school history and the first time since 2019. Utah put together its best postseason finish in 2016, when they forged a path all the way to the Sweet 16.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer).
The first matchup will take place at Ute Field in Salt Lake City on Thursday, when the Utes are scheduled to face the Arizona State Sun Devils at 7 p.m., followed by a Sunday matinee match against the Kansas Jayhawks at 1 p.m.
| THUSDAY'S MATCHUP Date | Time: Thursday, Oct. 23 | 7:00 p.m. (MT) Utah (7-7-3, 2-4-2) vs. Arizona State (9-4-3, 2-4-2) Location: Salt Lake City | Ute Field Live Stats: Click Here Live Stream: ESPN+ Twitter Updates: @UtahWSoccer |
SUNDAY'S MATCHUP Date | Time: Sunday, Oct. 26 | 1:00 p.m. (MT) Utah (7-7-3, 2-4-2) vs. Kansas (10-1-2, 5-1-0) Location: Salt Lake City | Ute Field Live Stats: Click Here Live Stream: ESPN+ Twitter Updates: @UtahWSoccer |
Game Day Promotions
On Thursday, the Utes will have Halloween-themed Utah women's soccer shirts to give away to the first 200 fans through the gates, which will open at 6 p.m. Sunday will be Senior Day for the Utes, as the program's senior class of Erin Gibbs, Brooklyn Blaylock, Alex Schoenstadt, Devi Dudley, Kelly Bullock, Grace Watkins, Ava Hetzel, Ryann Cull and Ali Swensen will be honored pregame.
Last Time Out
Utah encountered two of its toughest tests of the season last week, facing a pair of opponents ranked in the NCAA Committee's top 16 teams. The Utes first took on the No. 21 Colorado Buffaloes at Ute Field and held a 22-10 shot advantage for the contest, but ultimately fell 2-1. Erin Gibbs made four saves in goal and Callie Blaylock found the back of the net for the first time in her sophomore campaign in the physical contest that saw each side whistled for eight fouls.
The Utes then hit the road for the final time in the regular season, traveling to Waco, Texas, to square off against No. 10 Baylor. The Utes were defeated, 2-0, though Utah kept pace in terms of shots (10/12) and shots on goal (3/4). Ava Hetzel made a number of strong defensive plays to keep Utah in the game and put two terrific chances on goal in the effort.
Utah is 2-2 in its last four outings, including back-to-back shutout wins over Houston and Arizona.
Scouting the Sun Devils
Arizona State enters Thursday's match with an identical Big 12 record as Utah at 2-4-2. ASU snapped a three-match losing streak last time out with a 1-1 draw against Iowa State. Four Sun Devils – Tatum Thomason, Cameron Valladares, Addison Baltodano and Sierra Bergen – have all logged ten or more points this season while 11 different players have scored for Graham Winworth's club.
The Utes and Sun Devils will be meeting for the 19th time on Thursday, with the overall tally standing at 8-6-4 in Utah's favor. Utah is also 6-1-1 against ASU in Salt Lake City, including a 2-0 triumph over the then-No. 18 Sun Devils in 2023.
Scouting the Jayhawks
Kansas will face off against the Utes after first squaring off with BYU in Provo on Thursday night. The Jayhawks enter the week with a 10-3-3 record and a 4-3-1 mark in Big 12 play, sitting sixth in the league table and riding a three-match unbeaten streak. Kansas opened the year by going unbeaten in nonconference play, the first time in program history it has done so, and is 4-1-1 away from its home field overall. Lexi Watts and Jillian Gregorski lead the team with 16 and 14 points, respectively, while Caroline Castans ranks third in the Big 12 in assists and was named to the Hermann Trophy midseason watch list.
Utah is 2-2-0 all-time against Kansas, with both wins coming at Ute Field. The Jayhawks won last year's matchup, 2-0, in Lawrence, the first time the two programs faced off as conference opponents.
Senior Class
The Utes have plenty of experience on their roster, which includes seven seniors, Erin Gibbs, Brooklyn Blaylock, Alex Schoenstadt, Kelly Bullock, Ryann Cull, Sophie Bellini and Ali Swensen, and three graduate students, Devi Dudley, Grace Watkins and Ava Hetzel.
Blaylock, Bullock and Cull are all entering their fourth season at Utah and have appeared in 158 total matches during their collegiate careers. Blaylock and Cull have been fixtures on the back line for the Utes, combining for 82 starts, while Bullock is coming off an all-conference season and will add to her total of 54 starts from 2022-24.
Schoenstadt came to Salt Lake City in time for the start of the 2023 season and will be back in action after an injury knocked her out for 2024. Gibbs, Dudley, Watkins and Hetzel are all in their second year with the Utes while Swensen and Bellini will be in their initial Utah campaign.
New Utes
Bellini and Swensen are two of 12 new players Hideki Nakada added to his roster during the offseason, a group comprised of two seniors, one sophomore and nine freshman. Malaspina is the newest addition to the goalkeeper room after starting her career at UC Colorado Springs and defender Madison Encinas also came out of the portal after spending a redshirt year at Baylor.
From the prep ranks, the Utes added goalkeeper Emeline McClenahan, defender Reese Kennel, midfielder and defender Mimi Yamamoto, midfielders Shannon Davidson, Eliza Smith and Addison Lockerby and forwards Julia Oka and Abby Affleck.
Oh Captains, My Captains
Utah will be led by its three graduate students this season. Devi Dudley, Grace Watkins and Ava Hetzel will serve as the team's three captains during the 2025 campaign. The trio has combined to play in 245 collegiate games.
Coaches Corner
Last season, head coach Hideki Nakada hired a pair of new assistant coaches in Travis Smith and Jackie Poortinga. The two return for their second seasons with Utah in 2025 and will be joined by new assistant coach Sam Gomez.
Gomez brings with him a wealth of experience that includes time as the Girls Director of Coaching at the Utah Athletic Academy and head coach of the girls soccer team at Highland High School. Gomez has also honed his skills as a coach at Port Orchard FC, Impact United and Kitsap Alliance FC.
Prior to moving into the coaching ranks, he played professionally in the Honduran 1st Division with Real CD Espana, as well as with San Diego 1904 FC in the NISA. This followed a collegiate career at Cal State University Bakersfield, where he was an academic all-conference selection and earned a degree in Kinesiology.
NCAA Tournament History
The Utes enter 2025 aiming to reach the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in school history and the first time since 2019. Utah put together its best postseason finish in 2016, when they forged a path all the way to the Sweet 16.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer).
Utah Soccer's Bella Woods - ESPN+ Feature
Thursday, October 23
Utah Soccer's Erin Gibbs - ESPN+ Feature
Thursday, October 16
Utah Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 | Soccer's Ashley Mason
Monday, October 13
Utah Soccer's Ali Swensen - ESPN+ Feature
Saturday, September 27