PROVO — When the lights were brightest and the emotions of a legendary figure in the program’s history at their peak, BYU women’s soccer stood up to the challenge.
And in the final regular-season home match of head coach Jennifer Rockwood’s legendary 30-plus year career, the Cougars clinched a victory that led to a program-first: for the first time since joining the Big 12 Conference four years ago, BYU are regular-season champions.
Bella Woods’ free kick in the second half gave BYU all the scoring it would need, and goalkeepers Chelsea Peterson and Paiton Collins combined for a three-save shutout to lift No. 13 BYU to a 1-0 win over Arizona State on a senior night to remember Thursday at South Field.
With the chance to make history, BYU (12-3-3, 8-1-2 Big 12) booked its spot as the No. 1 seed in next week’s Big 12 tournament in Mansfield, Texas. The Cougars’ place in the NCAA Tournament was already secured, but Thursday’s win solidified it and a likely first-round home match — solidifying the final season of the only coach BYU has known in its NCAA Division I history.
“It’s been an amazing journey so far this year,” Rockwood said after being recognized next to the No. 32 as an eighth senior in a group that included Woods and fellowing starting center back Avery Frischknecht, Peterson, injured captain Ellie Walbruch, and the rest of the senior class of 2027. “Such a special group of girls to accomplish what they’ve accomplished. I couldn’t be more proud of them.
“Our administration and what they did for me tonight was remarkable; it was very overwhelming and very special. I’ve been blessed.”
Prior to Thursday night’s match, the Cougars met a day earlier to watch the senior tribute video and release the emotions that would invariably following during the annual pregame ceremony honoring the senior class in their final regular-season match on South Field.
“But we literally came out here, and we all cried,” said Woods, the University of Utah transfer who started all 18 matches of her senior campaign. “Seeing her Jen and honoring her was so special. I’m grateful that I got to spend this last season with her. She’s such a great coach. And the girls, too. They’ve been so welcoming to me, and I’m just so grateful for them.”
As for the match, it couldn’t have started much better — even before kickoff.
After No. 18 Kansas stormed back to hand No. 7 Texas Tech just its second loss of the season, the Cougars had a chance to clinch a Big 12 regular-season title for the first time in program history.
Parents were following the Jayhawks’ win on their phones during the pre-match ceremony, and prior to kickoff, Woods looked up into her stands at her father, who mouthed the 3-2 final score to her from the crowd of 2,788 fans in the grand stand.
The hosts knew exactly what was at stake.
Trailing the Red Raiders by 2 points in the league standings, BYU out-shot the visiting Sun Devils 12-2 in the first half, with three shots on goal that included a pair of crossbar-rattlers from Afton Perry en route to a 0-0 halftime stalemate.
Woods scored a banger in the 68th minute, converting her third goal of the season from a set-piece opportunity to put the Cougars in front.
The Utah transfer from Draper lined up a free kick from just outside the penalty area before striking a well-taken ball with her right foot that caromed off the near post to open the account.
“As soon as she hit it,” Frischknecht said of the goal, “I had a good feeling. I think I knew it was going to go in the whole time. We were so excited.”
The pressure — of the moment, of the title, of the chance to do something no BYU program has done since it was promoted to a varsity sport in 1995 under then-club coach Rockwood — wasn’t too much. Neither was the emotional evening for Rockwood, or her senior class ushered in another special moment on a field that has faced so many of them.
“Jen has built this program from the ground up,” Frischknecht said, “and I feel so grateful that I’ve been able — and I think the whole senior class has been grateful — to share the special moment with her.
“We’re so grateful for Jen,” the senior from Springville added. “She’s made us better people and better players all-around.”
Thursday’s title at BYU clinched a fourth conference championship for Utah schools at the NCAA Division I level. A week after Utah Valley clinched the Big West title in the Wolverines’ first year in the league, here’s a look at the others from the final night of the regular season.
Aggies clinch Pac-12 co-title, No. 1 seed in regular-season finale
Kate Christian and Kei Yoneda each scored in the second half, and Ivy Nystrom earned her 11th clean sheet of the season as No. 22 Utah State clinched a fourth consecutive conference title with a 2-0 win over San Diego State at Chuck and Gloria Bell Field in Logan.
It’s the fifth conference title since winning the WAC in 2012 for the Aggies (13-3-3, 6-1-1 Pac-12), who tied atop the Pac-12 with Boise State and will host Gonzaga as the No. 1 seed in the inaugural conference tournament beginning Wednesday, Nov. 11 at Bell Field.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MT.
“Our senior class, that’s all they’ve ever known is championships,” said Utah State manager Manny Martins. “They’re going to go 4-for-4, and I’m super excited that Kate got the game-winning goal, as someone who scored the championship-winning goal in our very first Mountain West tournament.
“I’m really proud and excited for what’s next.”
Weber State books Big Sky championship, top seed with 9-1 rout on senior day
Oakley Anderson had a hat trick, and Lily Blum, Simone Packer and Cici Garcia added two goals apiece as Weber State solidified its spot atop the Big Sky with a 9-1 rout of Idaho State on senior day in Ogden.
Picked to win the conference by league coaches, the Wildcats (11-6-2, 7-1-1 Big Sky) made quick work of the Bengals to clinch the No. 1 seed in next week’s Big Sky championships in Missoula, Montana.
They’ll take the top seed in the tournament, a four-match winning streak, the conference’s leading scorer in Lily Blum (14 goals) and results in nine of the Wildcats’ past 10 matches into Missoula, with a chance to clinch the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament in head coach Kyle Christensen’s second season with the program.
“I’m just so happy for the girls,” said Christensen after his ceremonial post-match cooler dump. “I can see what it means to them. The celebration, the smiles; it’s all worth it. I’m so impressed with them.
“Early int he season, we were wondering what this team’s gonna be, but they figured it out and they bought into what we’re doing. Now they’re celebrating and we’re super excited.”
Utah Tech punches Big Sky ticket with 2-0 win over rival Southern Utah
Jocelyn Wright and Lataya Brost each scored a goal as Utah Tech clinched its spot in the Big Sky tournament with a 2-0 win over rival Southern Utah in the regular-season finale in Cedar City.
Emma McIff earned her sixth consecutive shutout in goal for the Trailblazers (8-6-4, 4-2-3 Big Sky), who held the conference’s second-leading scorer Ashlyn O’Malley without a goal to solidify the No. 5 seed in Missoula.
Utah Tech will open the Big Sky tournament Wednesday against No. 4 Idaho. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. MT on ESPN+.
Utah drops senior-day decision to Kansas State
Rilyn Rintoul had a goal and an assist as Kansas State hung a 5-0 win on Utah in the regular-season finale Thursday at Ute Field.
With the loss, the Utes finish the season at 4-10-5 including a 1-7-3 mark in Big 12 play and three straight losses to end head coach Hideki Nakada’s sixth season on the Hill.
