Salt City College Soccer Power Rankings: BYU jumps in fro with upset win in season opener
Where do BYU, Utah, Utah State, Utah Valley, Weber State, Southern Utah and Utah Tech rank after the first week of the 2026 women's college soccer season?
After debuting a year ago, the Salt City College Soccer Power Rankings are back for another season.
Each week, we’ll rank the state of Utah’s seven NCAA Division I women’s soccer teams based on the week’s results, season’s body of work, and level of difficulty in competition, as well as any regional or national honors that may come their way.
It’s early. But a familiar name sits atop the list as the 2026 season begins. There’s almost no chance these rankings won’t move throughout the year.
So let’s have a little fun.
BYU (1-0-0)
The Cougars made a statement last Wednesday with the best win of opening week on the road.
After being picked seventh in the Big 12 and outside the coaches’ preseason top 25, BYU came back for a 2-1 road win over then-No. 9 UCLA to start head coach Jennifer Rockwood’s final campaign in victory.
The Cougars got an early goal from Mattyn Summers-Oviatt, and true freshman Brynnli Tolbert scored the match-winner just after the hour mark to snap the Bruins’ 10-match winning streak in season openers with the Cougars’ first win in Westwood since 1998.
It doesn’t get any easier for BYU, which faces another Big Ten team Wednesday at Wisconsin before Saturday’s home opener against USC (7 p.m. MT, ESPN+).
Utah State (0-1-1)
The Aggies bounced back from a 2-0 loss to then-No. 15 Kansas in the season opener to draw Michigan, 2-2 in the Sunday night home opener at Chuck and Gloria Bell Field in Logan.
Utah State controlled much of the match, scoring in the 19th minute off a long-range banger from Mia Mullenmeister before BYU transfer Mia Lopez doubled the advantage in the 32nd minute.
But Michigan came back after halftime, pulling one back through Ella Jablinskey in the 69th minute before Ellie Fife equalized in the final second of the match with a long ball that took an awkward bounce through traffic and into the back of the net.
The Aggies host Portland on Thursday (7:30 p.m. MT, Pac-12 YouTube) before traveling to Utah Valley on Monday.
Utah (1-0-1)
The Utes opened the season with a scoreless draw against in-state rival Weber State, where Anna Solomon made two saves as Utah out-shot the Wildcats 17-14.
It was the Utah debut for 17 newcomers, including former Ogden High standout and Portland transfer Nevaeh Peregrina who had one of the Utes’ seven shots on target.
But Reese Clem and Katie Calloway secured Utah’s first win of the season Monday night, shutting out a shorthanded Utah Valley squad 2-0 to earn back-to-back shutouts for fifth-year senior goalkeeper Solomon.
Utah Valley (0-1-1)
The Wolverines opened the season with a 1-1 draw against Michigan, out-shooting the Big Ten visitors 14-13 with six shots on target.
BYU transfer Addie Olson put the hosts in front in the 32nd minute, a lead Utah Valley took into halftime.
Adi Walick equalized off in the 54th minute when UVU was called for a penalty, and the junior Regis transfer from Colorado buried the ensuing kick from the spot to help the visiting Wolverines escape with a tie and help keep Utah Valley winless on the season.
Utah Valley then fell behind the Utes in Monday’s in-state rivalry match at UCCU Stadium. After true freshman goalkeeper Madeleine Boucher was sent off with a red card 42 minutes in, the Utes put two past freshman shot stopper Emily Bergero in the second half to hand the Wolverines their first loss of the year.
Southern Utah (2-1-0)
Picked to finish 10th in the 10-team Big Sky by league coaches, the Thunderbirds won two of three from a six-day road trip to South Carolina to open the season.
After a 3-1 loss to College of Charleston, Southern Utah picked up a 1-0 win over South Carolina State on Friday before Sophia Memory scored the only goal of a 1-0 win over The Citadel on Monday.
The Thunderbirds played their fourth of a five-match road trip to open the season Saturday at Utah. Kickoff from Salt Lake City is scheduled for 3 p.m. MT on ESPN+.
Weber State (0-1-1)
The Wildcats followed up the midweek draw at Utah with a 4-1 loss to Boise State in Sunday’s home opener.
Sayler Schlosser, the fifth-year senior from Lone Peak who had five goals with three assists a year ago, opened her account with a 31st-minute equalizer from Oakley Anderson before the Broncos pulled away for good.
Weber State travels to Laramie on Thursday to face Mountain West foe Wyoming at 4 p.m. MT on Mountain West+ before returning home to host Oregon State at 1 p.m. MT Sunday.
Utah Tech (0-1-1)
After a 1-1 draw at UC Irvine, the Trailblazers dropped a 4-2 decision to UC San Diego to close out a two-match Big West road swing on Saturday.
Ella Rusick helped the Trailblazers earn a 1-1 draw in the season opener at UC Irvine, receiving a through ball from former Timpanogos High forward Lataya Brost and beating the defense just 64 seconds in before the Anteaters came back.
Utah Tech hosts Division II Westminster in the home opener Thursday at 7 p.m. MT before hosting Portland on Sunday at 11 a.m. MT. Both matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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