Upcoming Event: Soccer at UCF on October 2, 2025 at 5 p.m.
5 p.m.
Soccer
at UCF
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Wednesday, September 24
Salt Lake City, Utah
7 p.m.
University of Utah
vs
Cincinnati
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ 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
Utes Back Home to Entertain Mountaineers
9/23/2025 1:06 PM | Soccer
Utah Soccer preparing for first-ever meeting with West Virginia
SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women's soccer team got Big 12 play started with a quick road trip to Texas, but now the Utes will have the chance to get untracked with back-to-back fixtures at Ute Field, first on Wednesday when they'll host the Cincinnati Bearcats at 7 p.m., followed by a Saturday evening match against the West Virginia Mountaineers that will begin at 6 p.m.
Game Day Promotions
Free posters, magnets and soccer cozies will be up for grabs on Wednesday, while Saturday's bout will be Alumni Night and Bark at the Park at Ute Field. The first 200 fans through the gates can grab a free Utah dog bandana and, at halftime, their will be a weiner dog race on the field.
Scouting the Mountaineers
West Virginia started league play by drawing with UCF, snapping a streak of four consecutive victories, but the Mountaineers still haven't allowed a goal since Aug. 24, a string of five straight clean sheets. Their total of six shutouts through seven matches is tied for eighth-most in the country and they're also sharing 21st nationally in goals against average.
The player who has seen the most time in goal for WVU has been junior Bailey Herfurth and in over 500 minutes of playing time in 2025, she has yet to allow a goal. The New York native is currently the only player in the country with that much playing time who hasn't conceded once, but she's also benefited from an excellent back line that's permitted only 17 total shots on goal across eight games.
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 78 starts, while Bullock is coming off an all-conference season and will add to her total of 52 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 204 collegiate games entering this season.
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).
| WEDNESDAY'S MATCHUP Date | Time: Wednesday, Sept. 24 | 7:00 p.m. (MT) Utah (5-4-1, 0-1-0) vs. Cincinnati (2-3-4, 0-1-0) Location: Salt Lake City | Ute Field Live Stats: Click Here Live Stream: ESPN+ Twitter Updates: @UtahWSoccer |
SATURDAY'S MATCHUP Date | Time: Saturday, Sept. 27 | 6:00 p.m. (MT) Utah (5-4-1, 0-1-0) vs. West Virginia (5-2-1, 0-0-1) Location: Salt Lake City | Ute Field Live Stats: Click Here Live Stream: ESPN+ Twitter Updates: @UtahWSoccer |
Game Day Promotions
Free posters, magnets and soccer cozies will be up for grabs on Wednesday, while Saturday's bout will be Alumni Night and Bark at the Park at Ute Field. The first 200 fans through the gates can grab a free Utah dog bandana and, at halftime, their will be a weiner dog race on the field.
Scouting the Mountaineers
West Virginia started league play by drawing with UCF, snapping a streak of four consecutive victories, but the Mountaineers still haven't allowed a goal since Aug. 24, a string of five straight clean sheets. Their total of six shutouts through seven matches is tied for eighth-most in the country and they're also sharing 21st nationally in goals against average.
The player who has seen the most time in goal for WVU has been junior Bailey Herfurth and in over 500 minutes of playing time in 2025, she has yet to allow a goal. The New York native is currently the only player in the country with that much playing time who hasn't conceded once, but she's also benefited from an excellent back line that's permitted only 17 total shots on goal across eight games.
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 78 starts, while Bullock is coming off an all-conference season and will add to her total of 52 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 204 collegiate games entering this season.
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 Ali Swensen - ESPN+ Feature
Saturday, September 27
Utah Soccer's Lilliah Blum - ESPN+ Feature
Wednesday, September 24
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Tony Caridi, voice of the West Virginia Mountaineers
Tuesday, September 23
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Urban Meyer
Wednesday, September 17