Salt City College Soccer Power Rankings: Familiar name tops state powers as conference play nears
It's not quite the midway point of the 2025 season, but with conference play beginning for Utah's two Big 12 teams, let's check in on the state of Utah college soccer.
By: Salt City Soccer
It’s not quite the midway mark of the 2025 regular season across college soccer.
But because conference play has arrived for two of the state’s top programs (in the Big 12), we felt now was as good a time as any to check in on Utah’s Division I women’s soccer programs to see how the season has been going.
And what better way to check in than with a good ol’ fashioned Power Ranking?
A family name leads the pack, but the rest of the list may offer a few surprises. Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment on Substack, or connect with us on social media (@saltcityfc) and let us know.
No. 1 — BYU
Record: 5-1-1 (4-1 at home, 1-0-1 away)
Ranking: #12
Death, taxes and Jennifer Rockwood. Or so it may seem after the Cougars overhauled a roster with nine freshmen and 11 newcomers. The Cougars have just two seniors, though forward Allie Fryer will redshirt the season due to ankle surgery and have relied on leading scorer Ellie Walbruch (4 goals) in a nearly flawless nonconference slate that includes wins over then-No. 24 Minnesota, then-No. 4 UCLA and Auburn, while the only set back was a 1-0 loss to then-No. 13 Arkansas.
BYU opens Big 12 play Thursday at Arizona State, and also won’t face top teams TCU and Texas Tech in league play. For a potential title preview, circle Oct. 23 on your calendar, when Kansas will visit South Field for a 7 p.m. MT tilt.
No. 2 — Utah Valley
Record: 4-3-1 (3-1-1 at home, 0-2 away)
The Wolverines have played a brutal nonconference schedule, with games against teams from the Big 12, ACC, SEC and West Coast Conference before Monday’s in-state rivalry tilt with Weber State.
That one looked to go the other way until Marie Quentel had a goal and an assist in the final 30 minutes to help Utah Valley rally from a 3-1 deficit to top the Wildcats, 4-3.
The Wolverines’ other wins include Utah in the UCCU Stadium opener Aug. 18, LSU in the first-ever win over an SEC opponent, and a 5-3 shootout against Gonzaga.
No. 3 — Utah
Record: 5-3-1 (3-2 at home, 2-1-1 away)
The Utes’ early schedule has been one of moving forward before stepping back. They followed up the 2-0 loss to UVU with a 4-0 win over D2 Westminster, then rallied for a 1-1 draw at Utah State and back-to-back wins over North Carolina State and Washington.
Then came the challenge of a pair of losses to LSU and Oregon State by a combined score of 3-1 sandwiched around a 2-1 victory over Utah Tech.
Utah will open Big 12 play with one of the conference’s toughest tests, traveling to No. 14 TCU on Friday night (6 p.m. MT, ESPN+).
No. 4 — Utah State
Record: 2-3-2 (1-0-2 at home, 1-3 away)
The good news is that the Aggies may have one of the best defenses in the country, anchored by Pepperdine transfer goalkeeper Taylor Rath and a 1.00 goals-against average in seven games.
The bad news? The lack of a consistent offense, scoring just five goals en route to a pair of one-goal losses to Texas Tech (2-1) and Pacific (1-0).
Still, that defense could have them contending for (another) Mountain West title under Manny Martins, assuming no more damage is taken against Utah Valley and Portland in the nonconference finale.
No. 5 — Weber State
Record: 4-4 (2-1 at home, 2-3 away)
Give credit to first-year head coach Kyle Christensen, who took over a program that won just three total games the past two seasons and already exceeded that mark in a nonconference slate that includes wins over Oregon State, North Dakota State and Boise State.
The Wildcats nearly got another Monday before Nixan Jackson rallied Utah Valley from a 3-1 second-half deficit for the 4-3 win. Results in a pair of road tilts at CBU and UC Santa Barbara could set Weber State up as Big Sky contenders when conference play rolls around Sept. 25 against Eastern Washington.
No. 6 — Utah Tech
Record: 3-3-2 (1-1-1 at home, 2-2-1 away)
The results haven’t always gone their way, but the Trailblazers have been competitive in every match — see a 1-1 draw at UNLV and narrow (one-goal) losses to Colorado State, Boise State and Utah, for example.
They have one more nonconference home tilt Friday against Portland State before the final season of WAC play begins next Sunday, Sept. 28 at in-state rival Southern Utah.
No. 7 — Southern Utah
Record: 0-5-2 (0-2-1 at home, 0-3-1 away)
The Thunderbirds, who have been outscored 16-5, have one more chance at a nonconference win Sunday against Portland State before WAC play begins.