The 2017 BYU Cougars women's soccer team represented BYU during the 2017 NCAA Division I women's soccer season. The Cougars were coached for a 23rd consecutive season by Jennifer Rockwood, who was co-coach in 1995 and became the solo head coach in 1996. Before 1995 BYU women's soccer competed as a club team and not as a member of the NCAA. The Cougars entered the 2017 season having won five consecutive West Coast Conference championships and having made the NCAA Tournament each of the last five seasons and in 18 of the 22 seasons that Rockwood has been the head coach. Joining Rockwood as assistant coaches are Brent Anderson (1st season) and Aleisha Rose (14th season) with volunteer assistants Rachel Jorgensen (4th season) and McKinzie Young (6th season). The Cougars came off of a season were they advanced to the third round of the College Cup before being defeated by South Carolina to finish the season 18–3–1. The Cougars were picked to finish second by the WCC media. After a slow start the Cougars finished the season with their first losing record since 2004 at 7–8–4 and failed to make the NCAA Playoffs for the first time since 2011. They finished the conference tied for fourth at 4–4–1.
Media Television & Internet Streaming All but one BYU women's soccer had a TV broadcast or internet video stream available. BYUtv and TheW.tv served as the primary providers. Information on these television broadcasts can be found under each individual match.
Nu Skin BYU Sports Network
For a fourth consecutive season the BYU Sports Network aired BYU Cougars women's soccer games. Greg Wrubell provided play-by-play for most games with Jason Shepherd filling-in when Wrubell had football duties. Former player Paige Hunt Barker served as the new analyst. ESPN 960 and BYU Radio acted as the flagship stations for women's soccer.
Schedule
*- Denotes WCC game x- Denotes Nu Skin BYU Sports Network/ESPN 960 broadcast y- Television Broadcast z- Internet Stream
x-Exhibition: Blue/White Game Broadcasters: Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960) Two 40 minute halves made up the exhibition. Coaches were also free to move players from the Blue to the White and vice versa as it was an inter-squad match.
x-Exhibition: Oklahoma Series History: BYU leads series 2–1–0 Broadcasters: Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960) Chris Plank (Sooner Radio Network)
xz-Penn State Series History: BYU leads series 2–0–0 Broadcasters: No commentary (LionVision)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xy-Ohio State Series History: BYU leads series 1–0–0 Broadcasters: Spencer Linton, Natalyn Lewis, & Lauren Francom McClain (BYUtv)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
x-Cal State Fullerton Series History: BYU leads series 6–0–1 Broadcasters: Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xy-UCLA Series History: BYU leads series 2–1–1 Broadcasters: Spencer Linton, Natalyn Lewis, & Lauren Francom McClain (BYUtv)Jason Shepherd & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xy-Colorado Series History: BYU leads series 4–2–1 Broadcasters: Christian Miles & Krista Blunk (P12)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xy-Utah Game Name: Deseret First Duel Series History: BYU leads series 21–7–1 Broadcasters: Spencer Linton, Natalyn Lewis, & Lauren Francom McCalin (BYUtv)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xy-Oregon State Series History: BYU leads series 2–0–0 Broadcasters: Ann Schatz & Tracey Bailey (P12)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xy-Arizona Series History: BYU leads series 11–1–0 Broadcasters: Daron Sutton (P12)Jason Shepherd & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xy-Kansas Series History: BYU leads series 2–1–0 Broadcasters: Spencer Linton, Natalyn Lewis, & Lauren Francom McClain (BYUtv)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xy-Utah Valley Game Name: UCCU Crosstown Clash Series History: BYU leads series 2–0–0 Broadcasters: Spencer Linton, Natalyn Lewis, & Lauren Francom McClain (BYUtv)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xy-San Diego* Series History: BYU leads series 7–2–0 Broadcasters: Spencer Linton & Natalyn Lewis (BYUtv)Jason Shepherd & Paige Barker (ESPN 960)
xy-Saint Mary's* Series History: BYU leads series 6–0–1 Broadcasters: Spencer Linton, Natalyn Lewis, & Lauren Francom McClain (BYUtv)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xz-Pacific* Series History: BYU leads series 4–1–0 Broadcasters: Robbie Bullough (TheW.tv)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xy- Pepperdine* Series History: Series even 4–4–0 Broadcasters: Spencer Linton, Natalyn Lewis, & Lauren Francom McClain (BYUtv)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xz- Loyola Marymount* Series History: BYU leads series 7–1–0 Broadcasters: Mitchell Marshall (TheW.tv) Jason Shepherd & Paige Barker (ESPN 960)
xy- Gonzaga* Series History: BYU leads series 9–0–0 Broadcasters: Trey Bender & Lori Lindsey (ESPNU)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xz- Portland* Series History: BYU leads series 7–4–0 Broadcasters: Adam Linnman & Noelle La Prevotte (TheW.tv)Jason Shepherd & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xz-San Francisco* Originally scheduled for October 14, this match was postponed due to poor air quality stemming from wildfires in Northern California. Series History: BYU leads series 6–1–0 Broadcasters: Charles Wollin (TheW.tv)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
xz- Santa Clara* Series History: Santa Clara leads series 6–1–4 Broadcasters: David Gentile (TheW.tv)Greg Wrubell & Paige Barker (BYU Radio/ESPN 960)
Roster
No.PositionPlayerHeightHometownYear1GKSavanna EmpeyLehi, UT2DTaylor IsomSandy, UT3FCarla HaslamSouth Jordan, UT4MFBrittain SteinerMercer, NJ5FElise FlakeMapleton, UT6FNadia GomesSandy, UT7DDanika BowmanRedlands, CA8MFMikayla ColohanFruit Heights, UT9DShaylyn OrrDraper, UT10MFElisabeth "Bizzy" BowenSandy, UT11GKHannah ClarkDanville, CA12DAvery WalkerOgden, UT14FJosie GuinnMurrieta, CA15FEmma BaileyEagle, ID16MFKayci GriffinAustin, TX18GKSabrina MaciasLittleton, CO19MFLizzy BrabyMurray, UT20F, MFCameron TuckerHighland, UT21MFMadie SiddowayNorth Logan, UT22MFEllie SmithAlpine, UT23MFRachel BinghamSpanish Fork, UT24MFStephanie NeyCottonwood Heights, UT25DBrynlee WelchHyrum, UT26FMadie Lyons MathewSandy, UT28DAlyssa JeffersonSandy, UT29GKJosie ManwillLayton, UT32GKCassidy SmithAlpine, UT
Rankings + Regular season pollsPoll Pre-Season Week1 Week2 Week3 Week4 Week5 Week6 Week7 Week8 Week9 Week10 Week11 Week12Postseason Final United Soccer Coaches 8 17 RV RV RV NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR Soccer America 12 14 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR Top Drawer Soccer 20 22 RV RV RV NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR + Legend Increase in ranking Decrease in ranking Not ranked previous week (RV) Received Votes
References