Friday, September 18
Tempe, Ariz.
8 p.m.
University of Utah
at
Arizona State
Photo by: John Zelinka/Utah Athletics
Utah Starts Big 12 Play with Visit to ASU
9/16/2026 10:27 AM | Soccer
Utes begin conference competition with fifth straight road fixture
SALT LAKE CITY – After an impressive showing in their non-conference finale, the University of Utah women's soccer team is preparing to tackle the Big 12 portion of their slate, which begins with a Friday evening fixture against the Arizona State Sun Devils at 8 p.m. MT at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
Â
Â
Last Time Out
The Utes ended non-conference play with their most impressive offensive outburst of the season in 5-1 victory over previously unbeaten Long Beach State. Five different Utah players got on the scoresheet as the program posted its highest goal total since 2024 and highest on the road since a 6-0 win over Utah Valley in 2007. The Utes also permitted just one shot on goal, the lowest total they've held an opponent to so far in 2026.
Â
Seven different Utes registered at least one point against LBSU, including Kennedy Fletcher and Sophie Bellini logging their first goals of the season and Kaella Chin posting her first collegiate point on Katie Callaway's game-sealing score. After not finding the back of the net in 2025, Callaway has reestablished herself as a dangerous offensive presence in 2026, scoring a team-high three times. Julia Oka and Shannon Davidson also scored in Long Beach and are tied with Callaway with six points to lead the squad.
Â
Scouting Arizona State
The Sun Devils were excellent in all-conference play, cobbling together a mark of 5-1-2 and they finished that portion of their schedule with an exclamation point, trouncing Grambling State 8-0 on Sept. 11. ASU enters Big 12 play ranking third in the league in goals, averaging better than 2.5 goals per game. Through eight games, 11 different Sun Devils have scored goals and 13 ASU players have logged at least one assists, putting the Sun Devils at the top of the Big 12 leaderboard in assists. Simultaneously, ASU is tied for second in the conference in goals allowed.
Â
Utah and ASU will be locking horns for the 20th time on Friday and Utah owns a narrow 8-7-4 advantage, including a 4-1 victory in Tempe in 2024 that coincided with head coach Hideki Nakada's birthday. The Sun Devils will be attempting to earn their first home win over the Utes since 2021.
Â
Three Shutouts for Solomon
Prior to 2026, only one goalkeeper had posted clean sheets in each of Utah's first three matches and that was Lindsey Luke in 2013. Luke now has company, however, as Anna Solomon has started her first year as a Ute by blanking Weber State, Utah Valley and Southern Utah. Two different Utah keepers combined to shut out the program's first three opponents in 2005.
Â
Points-A-Plenty
Four different Utah players have accumulated points in Utah's wins over Utah Valley and Southern Utah. Katie Callaway has goals in back-to-back games, Shannon Davidson and Maddie Stoddard have assists in consecutive contests and Julia Oka followed up her assist at UVU with a goal against SUU. This is the first time four or more Utes have gotten on the scoresheet in consecutive fixtures since 2023, when Kelly Bullock, Taliana Kaufusi, Courtney Brown and Maryn Granger combined to achieve the same feat.
Â
Solomon Named Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week
After becoming the first Utah goalkeeper in more than a decade to start a season with consecutive clean sheets, Anna Solomon earned the year's first Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week award, it was announced on Aug. 19. This is the first time a Utah keeper has ever been chosen as the Big 12's Goalkeeper of the Week. The last Utah keeper to receive such an honor was Carly Nelson in 2019.
Â
Super Subs
Both of Utah's goals against UVU on Aug. 17 were scored by substitutes, as Clem and Callaway came off the bench to get on the scoresheet. That marked the first time two Utah subs scored in the same game since a 5-0 win over Utah Valley on Aug. 30, 2023.
Â
Scanning the Schedule
Utah's 2026 slate consists of 19 matches, including eight home fixtures at Ute Field. The team's Big 12 schedule begins with a Sept. 18 visit to Arizona State and includes 11 matchups against conference foes, concluding with a home clash with Kansas State on Nov. 4.
Â
| FRIDAY'S MATCHUP Date | Time:Â Friday, Sept. 18 | 8 p.m. Utah (3-3-2) at Arizona State (5-1-2) Location:Â Tempe, Ariz. | Sun Devil Soccer Stadium Live Stats:Â Click Here Live Stream: Click Here Twitter Updates:Â @UtahWSoccer |
 |
Last Time Out
The Utes ended non-conference play with their most impressive offensive outburst of the season in 5-1 victory over previously unbeaten Long Beach State. Five different Utah players got on the scoresheet as the program posted its highest goal total since 2024 and highest on the road since a 6-0 win over Utah Valley in 2007. The Utes also permitted just one shot on goal, the lowest total they've held an opponent to so far in 2026.
Â
Seven different Utes registered at least one point against LBSU, including Kennedy Fletcher and Sophie Bellini logging their first goals of the season and Kaella Chin posting her first collegiate point on Katie Callaway's game-sealing score. After not finding the back of the net in 2025, Callaway has reestablished herself as a dangerous offensive presence in 2026, scoring a team-high three times. Julia Oka and Shannon Davidson also scored in Long Beach and are tied with Callaway with six points to lead the squad.
Â
Scouting Arizona State
The Sun Devils were excellent in all-conference play, cobbling together a mark of 5-1-2 and they finished that portion of their schedule with an exclamation point, trouncing Grambling State 8-0 on Sept. 11. ASU enters Big 12 play ranking third in the league in goals, averaging better than 2.5 goals per game. Through eight games, 11 different Sun Devils have scored goals and 13 ASU players have logged at least one assists, putting the Sun Devils at the top of the Big 12 leaderboard in assists. Simultaneously, ASU is tied for second in the conference in goals allowed.
Â
Utah and ASU will be locking horns for the 20th time on Friday and Utah owns a narrow 8-7-4 advantage, including a 4-1 victory in Tempe in 2024 that coincided with head coach Hideki Nakada's birthday. The Sun Devils will be attempting to earn their first home win over the Utes since 2021.
Â
Three Shutouts for Solomon
Prior to 2026, only one goalkeeper had posted clean sheets in each of Utah's first three matches and that was Lindsey Luke in 2013. Luke now has company, however, as Anna Solomon has started her first year as a Ute by blanking Weber State, Utah Valley and Southern Utah. Two different Utah keepers combined to shut out the program's first three opponents in 2005.
Â
Points-A-Plenty
Four different Utah players have accumulated points in Utah's wins over Utah Valley and Southern Utah. Katie Callaway has goals in back-to-back games, Shannon Davidson and Maddie Stoddard have assists in consecutive contests and Julia Oka followed up her assist at UVU with a goal against SUU. This is the first time four or more Utes have gotten on the scoresheet in consecutive fixtures since 2023, when Kelly Bullock, Taliana Kaufusi, Courtney Brown and Maryn Granger combined to achieve the same feat.
Â
Solomon Named Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week
After becoming the first Utah goalkeeper in more than a decade to start a season with consecutive clean sheets, Anna Solomon earned the year's first Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week award, it was announced on Aug. 19. This is the first time a Utah keeper has ever been chosen as the Big 12's Goalkeeper of the Week. The last Utah keeper to receive such an honor was Carly Nelson in 2019.
Â
Super Subs
Both of Utah's goals against UVU on Aug. 17 were scored by substitutes, as Clem and Callaway came off the bench to get on the scoresheet. That marked the first time two Utah subs scored in the same game since a 5-0 win over Utah Valley on Aug. 30, 2023.
Â
Scanning the Schedule
Utah's 2026 slate consists of 19 matches, including eight home fixtures at Ute Field. The team's Big 12 schedule begins with a Sept. 18 visit to Arizona State and includes 11 matchups against conference foes, concluding with a home clash with Kansas State on Nov. 4.
Coaches Corner
Head coach Hideki Nakada's brain trust for 2026 includes two holdovers in Jackie Poortinga and Sam Gomez and one new addition in former University of Montevallo soccer player Emma Greenwood. Greenwood joins the Utes after spending the 2025 season at Cal Poly Pomona, where she helped the Broncos post an 18-3-3 record, win the conference regular season and West Region Championships and march all the way to the Final Four. The 2025 Broncos also produced three All-Americans and had nine players who earned academic all-district honors.
Â
Prior to her time at Cal Poly Pomona, Greenwood spent four years with Legends FC - San Diego, where she served as ECNL Director, Head Coach, and Administrative Lead. In these roles, she led player recruitment efforts, oversaw program development, and implemented team training periodization. She managed residential and youth camps throughout the year as well, contributing to the club's emergence as one of Southern California's top youth soccer environments. In 2024, Greenwood was selected to the West Region ODP staff, supporting talent identification and player evaluation across the region.
Â
Her coaching background also includes time with San Diego Surf Soccer Club (2020–2021), where she coached ECNL and ECRL teams, and with Palomar College (2021), where she contributed to all aspects of the collegiate program, including player development, team training, scouting, and game day operations.
Â
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.
Â
#ProUtes
The number of Utah soccer alums in the professional ranks continues to grow. Courtney Brown, with the Utah Royals, and Katie O'Kane, who plays for Racing Louisville, are both in the middle of their second NWSL seasons. The Royals recently added a second Ute to their roster with the signing of Ali Swensen and Kelly Bullock has become one of the newest member of Valadares Gaia FC.
Â
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer).
Â
###
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Midfielder/Defender
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer No videos available.
