BACK IN ACTION
Utah State soccer (18-1-4, 7-1-3 MW) enters NCAA Tournament play this weekend as the 8-seed Aggies host unseeded Washington in the first round on Friday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m, at Chuck & Gloria Bell Field in Logan. 
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Friday's match can be streamed with a subscription on ESPN+. Fans can also follow along with statistics via Statbroadcast, with stream and stat links available at www.utahstateaggies.com. 
 
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
This is the fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, and the first time the Aggies have ever hosted a game in the tourney. This is also the second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance for Utah State, after qualifying then falling to 1-seed BYU last season. The previous two appearances were in 2011 and 2012, each first-round exits. 
 
MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPS
For the second-straight year, Utah State won the Mountain West Tournament title to earn an automatic bid into the NCAA postseason. The 2-seed Aggies defeated 3-seed Colorado State 2-0 and Boise State 2-1 en route to the title. 
 
This was the team's second MW tournament title in program history, and fourth overall conference tournament title. 
 
In the championship match, the Aggies pounced early with a first-half brace by junior forward Kaylie Chambers, who scored goals in the 10th and 25th minutes to put USU ahead early. The Utah State defense limited Boise State to three shots on goal in the match, and just one total shot in the second half. 
 
TOURNAMENT ACCOLADES
• Junior forward Kaylie Chambers was named the Mountain West Tournament Most Valuable Player after starting both matches and scoring both of the team's goals in the championship game. 
 
• Chambers also earned a spot on the Mountain West All-Tournament Team, along with graduate midfielder Alex Day, senior defender Addy Weichers and freshman forward Ellie Hendrix. 
 
ALL-MOUNTAIN West ACCOLADES
• A program-record seven Utah State players earned All-Mountain West accolades this season, including five first team honors and two second team honors. First team honorees included senior forward Bizzy Arevalo, graduate midfielder Alex Day, graduate defender Kylie Olsen, senior defender Kaitlyn Richins and junior forward Tess Werts. Second team honorees include graduate goalkeeper Cora Brendle and sophomore midfielder Summer Diamond. 
• Manny Martins was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year for the second-straight season. He is just the third coach to ever earn the honor in back-to-back seasons. 
• Richins was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
• Brendle was named the Mountain West Newcomer of the Year. 
• Four Utah State players were named to the Mountain West All-Newcomer team, including Brendle and the freshman forward trio of Ellie Hendrix, Austin Miller and Mia Mullenmeister. This is the first time USU has ever had more than one player recognized on the all-newcomer team.
 
AGGIES VS HUSKIES
Utah State and Washington have faced off three times previously, the Huskies holding a 2-0-1 series advantage. The most recent meeting between the sides came back in 2012, a 1-1 draw after two overtimes in Logan. 
 
The Aggies have never beaten a current Big 10 team, going 0-12-2 all-time against the league. USU hasn't faced a Big 10 team since a 2018 matchup with Minnesota. 
 
PROVE 'EM WRONG
Despite ending the year No. 17 in the RPI rankings, Utah State was appointed an 8-seed by the selection committee. 
• The lowest-seeded team ahead of USU in the RPI rankings was given a 5-seed.
• 15 teams that finished below the Aggies in RPI were given an equal or higher seed. 
• During the regular season, Utah State defeated 7-seed Pepperdine (4-0), 7-seed BYU (2-1) and 8-seed Texas Tech (2-0). 
 
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
The winner of Friday's match will move on to the second round, where it will play the winner of Southern and 1-seed Mississippi State on Friday, Nov. 22. The game will be held at the site of the highest remaining seed between 1-seed Mississippi State, 4-seed Notre Dame and 5-seed Kentucky.
 
ONE LOSS CLUB
Utah State is one of just five teams in the NCAA with a single loss this season, while no unbeaten teams remain. The team's .870 winning percentage is the best in the nation. 
 
WELCOME TO BELL
• In the past four years under Manny Martins, Utah State holds a 30-5-5 home record at Chuck and Gloria Bell Field. During those games, the Aggies have out-scored opponents by a combined 85-28.
• Dating back to 2022, 15 of the past 23 USU opponents at Bell Field have been shut out.
• This year, USU is 7-0-1 at home and has out-scored opponents by a combined 29-4.
• All-time, Utah State is 125-49-29 at home.
 
BUILDING SOMETHING SPECIAL
• On October 30, it was announced that head coach Manny Martins has signed an extension that will keep him in Logan through the 2027 season. 
• Martins, the 2023 and 2024 Mountain West Coach of the Year, has built the Aggies into a powerhouse during his four years in Logan. As the head coach at USU, he has a 53-20-16 (.685) record, including a 26-10-8 (.682) mark in conference games. In the three years prior to his arrival, the team won just 16 total games.
• Martins' career winning percentage of .685 ranks second-best in Mountain West Conference history, behind only BYU's Jennifer Rockwood's .739 from 1999-2010.
 
REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS
This year's Aggie team has etched its name in the history books in several different major statistical categories. 
                • 1st all-time with 62 goals (previous record was 40 in 2007)
                • 1st all-time with 65 assists (previous record was 34 in 2021 and 2007)
                • 1st all-time with 189 points (previous record was 114 in 2007)
                • 1st all-time with 14 shutouts (previous record was 11 in 2011 and 2013)
                • 1st all-time with 194 shots on goal (previous record was 165 in 2002)
                • 1st all-time with 18 wins (previous record was 15 in 2011)
                • 2nd all-time with a 0.61 GAA (record is 0.55 in 2012) 
 
AGGIE IRONWOMEN
With the 89th appearance of her career coming against New Mexico on Oct. 6, graduate defender Kylie Olsen became the most tenured Aggie of all time, breaking the program record for appearances in a career. Olsen has now played 98 games, while graduate defender Alysia Butters and senior defender Addy Weichers now rank second and third with 95 and 89 appearances, respectively. 
 
SPREADING THE WEALTH
• One major key to Utah State's high-powered offense is the number of players who can score. USU has found goals from 19 different players this season. 14 different players have scored at least twice and 11 players have scored at least three times this year.
• Against San José State in what was just the 11th game of the season, Utah State set a new program record for most assists in a season with its 35th helper of the year.
• 17 USU players have recorded assists this year, as the team has totaled 65. 
 
AGGIE DOMINATION
• Along with a stellar 18-1-4 record this year, the Aggies have been one of the most dominant teams in the country. USU has out-scored opponents by a combined score of 62-14. This ranks as the third-best scoring differential in the nation. 
• Utah State's scoring differential this season (+47) is greater than the previous program record for goals in a season (40).