BYU Women’s Soccer Ranked No. 3 In Preseason Top 25
Aug 7, 2024, 1:21 PM
BYU women's soccer enters the 2024 season ranked No. 3 in the preseason Top 25. The Cougars have two returning starters, which includes goalkeeper Lynette Hernaez. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
(Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah – BYU women’s soccer enters the 2024 season with high expectations following last year’s appearance in the College Cup.
The Cougars are ranked No. 3 in the preseason United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll. It’s tied for the highest preseason ranking in BYU women’s soccer history.
#️⃣3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/uFLWxDFC1x
— BYU Women's Soccer (@byusoccer_w) August 7, 2024
Two years ago, BYU was also No. 3 in the preseason poll. That season, they finished with a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The top-three ranking creates high expectations for a new-look roster under veteran head coach Jennifer Rockwood.
Rockwood’s program lost nine starters from last year’s College Cup squad to graduation. Only two starters—forward Allie Fryer and goalkeeper Lynette Hernaez—return.
Former UCLA transfer Ellie Walbruch, a key reserve on last year’s squad, is still recovering from an ACL injury she suffered in the spring.
The good news for BYU is that they signed a heralded freshman class led by Presley Freeman, the Gatorade Player of the Year in Georgia.
In total, BYU has eight freshmen on their 2024 roster.
BYU women’s soccer has a challenging non-conference schedule in 2024
The new-look Cougars’ schedule won’t be easy. The non-conference portion features four teams in the preseason Top 25, starting with the regular season opener on August 15 against No. 19 Wisconsin at South Field.
BYU goes on the road at No. 11 UCLA, No. 12 Saint Louis, and No. 16 Arkansas.
Women’s Soccer Independent ranks BYU’s non-conference schedule as the second toughest in the nation.
2024 Big 12 WoSo Non-Conference SOS ranking (out of 288)
2 – BYU
11 – West Virginia
17 – Kansas + UCF
26 – TCU
30 – Baylor
42 – Arizona
52 – Oklahoma St
67 – Utah
75 – Iowa St
97 – Colorado
120 – Kansas St
150 – Texas Tech
162 – Arizona St + Houston
189 – Cincinnati— Chris Henderson (@chris_awk) July 12, 2024
BYU is one of two Big 12 programs ranked in the preseason Top 25. The other is Texas Tech, checking at No. 8.
United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll
Preseason Edition for the 2024 season
1. Florida State (8 first-place votes) – 2023 Record: 22-0-1
2. Stanford – 20-1-4
3. BYU – 20-3-3
4. Penn State – 16-3-4
5. Clemson – 18-4-4
6. Nebraska – 17-4-3
7. Pittsburgh – 17-6-1
T-8. North Carolina – 13-2-8
T-8. Texas Tech – 16-2-5
10. Memphis – 20-2-0
11. UCLA – 16-2-1
12. Saint Louis – 19-3-2
13. Michigan State – 14-5-3
14. Georgia – 13-4-6
15. Notre Dame – 12-4-4
16. Arkansas – 15-5-2
17. Texas – 17-5-2
18. Mississippi State – 12-6-5
19. Wisconsin – 14-5-4
20. Alabama – 12-5-5
21. South Carolina – 12-3-6
22. Santa Clara – 14-5-2
23. USC – 11-5-3
24. Duke – 6-7-3
T-25. Iowa – 13-5-4
T-25. Texas A&M – 10-8-4
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
