BYU, Utah Valley women’s soccer cancel 2026 crosstown rivalry match

PROVO — One of the top local rivalries in Utah college soccer won’t be played in 2026, despite previous schedules indicating the contrary.

BYU and Utah Valley confirmed Wednesday that the near-annual crosstown rivalry series has been canceled in 2026. No reason was given for the cancelation.

Both the Cougars and Wolverines announced the matchup in the spring. Utah Valley announced the nine-match nonconference scheduled preceding its first season in the Big West with seven home contests that included the Aug. 13 season opener against Michigan as well as home dates against Utah, Utah State, Kansas, San Diego State and Weber State.

The crosstown clash was supposed to be the 11th time the two teams have met in program history, but just the third time the Wolverines hosted the Cougars in Orem.

BYU noted its season included 10 matches at South Field with a balanced four home matches and four away prior to Big 12 play. The Aug. 31 match was the only road match in a five-match run that included USC, Minnesota, Colorado State and Oklahoma at South Field before a Sept. 10 trip to Utah State.

The Cougars said the match will not be rescheduled or replaced, meaning the earlier the two teams could meet again would be in 2027 — when BYU will have a new head coach after Jennifer Rockwood announced her retirement this fall following more than three decades leading the program.

Rockwood, who briefly played basketball at Ricks College before transferring to BYU, took over the women’s soccer club program upon her graduation in 1988 and oversaw the program’s transition to NCAA Division I status seven years later. The Cougars have more than 470 wins in that time, including 26 NCAA Tournament appearances, two College Cup semifinals, and 29 winning seasons including 19 postseason top-25 rankings.

BYU opens the season Wednesday, Aug. 12 at UCLA.

The Wolverines host Michigan on Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. MT at UCCU Stadium.