BACK IN ACTION
Utah State soccer (3-2-1, 0-0-0 Pac-12) continues the nonconference portion of its 2026 campaign this week with a pair of games at Chuck & Gloria Bell Field, as the Aggies host in-state foe No. 13 BYU on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7:30 p.m., then take on South Dakota State on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 1 pm.
FOLLOW ALONG
Both of this week's matches will be streamed free on the Pac-12 YouTube page. Fans can also follow along via StatBroadcast, with stream and stat links available on the team's schedule page at www.utahstateaggies.com.
ICYMI
Utah State posted a 1-1 showing last week, defeating Utah Tech 8-1 on Thursday then falling at No. 24 Colorado 2-0 on Sunday. Against the Trailblazers, seven different Aggie players scored in what was tied for the fourth-highest scoring performance in program history. Against the Buffaloes, Utah State recorded a 16-15 shots advantage including seven shots on goal, but CU capitalized on a pair of set piece goals, scoring in the 11th minute on a penalty kick and in the 64th minute from the corner.
AGGIES VS COUGARS
Thursday's matchup will be the 21st all-time between Utah State and BYU. While the Cougars lead the all-time series 15-3-2, all five Aggie results have come under coach Manny Martins, who is 3-2-2 against BYU.
All-time against current members of the Big 12, USU is 14-45-5, including a 4-4-3 over the past three seasons.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
• BYU enters the week ranked No. 13 at 4-1-1, with wins against No. 9 UCLA, USC, Minnesota and Colorado State, a draw against Oklahoma and a loss to Wisconsin.
• The Cougars have scored eight goals this season while surrendering just four.
• Junior forward/midfielder Emma Hamberlin leads the squad with six points this season, coming on a team-best three goals.
AGGIES VS THE BEEHIVE STATE
Utah State is looking for a season sweep of in-state foes, having already defeated Utah Valley (1-0), Utah (1-0) and Utah Tech (8-1), and now facing its fourth and final in-state rival when it takes on BYU. All-time against teams from Utah, USU is 37-43-5. Since 2021, however, the Aggies are 14-5-3 in Beehive State battles.
AGGIES VS JACKRABBITS
Sunday's match will be the fifth all-time meeting between Utah State and South Dakota State. The Aggies lead the series 3-1-0 with the most recent meeting coming in Logan in 2023, a 2-1 Aggie win.
All-time against current members of the Summit League, USU is 6-1-1.
SCOUTING THE JACKRABBITS
• South Dakota State enters the week sitting at 4-1-1, with wins against Manitoba, MSU Moorhead, Washington State and Western Illinois, a draw to Colorado College and a loss to Kansas State. It will play Weber State on Thursday in Ogden before facing the Aggies.
• The Jackrabbits have scored 26 goals this season while surrendering just three. Against Division ! competition, however, that margin is 9-3.
• Three players lead SDSU in points with eight this season, including sophomore midfielder Jenna Maloy, who has scored a team-best four goals.
THE ELLIE HENDRIX EXPERIENCE
Utah State junior forward Ellie Hendrix is having a major breakout season, and has been on a tear as of late. Hendrix was a consistent contributor each of the past two seasons, but after entering 2026 with four goals and seven assists in her career, she already has three goals and three assists this season.
Additionally, Hendrix has scored game-winning goals in three games this year (at Utah Valley, at Utah, vs Utah Tech). Against Utah Tech, she matched the program's single-game record for assists with three. She was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 1.
A WIN FOR THE RECORD BOOK
In what was its first-ever meeting against in-state foe Utah Tech, USU put together one of the most prolific offensive performances in program history.
With an 8-1 win, Utah State tied for the fourth-most goals in a contest in program history, and tied for the third-largest margin of victory in program history. The Aggies out-shot the Trailblazers 32-2, which was tied for the fifth-most shots in a game in program history.
WELCOME TO BELL
• Chuck & Gloria Bell Field has been one of the most difficult places in the country for opposing teams to play in recent years. Utah State has gone undefeated at home each of the past two years, including a 6-0-3 record at Bell Field in 2025.
• It has been over three full calendar years since the Aggies last lost a home game (30 games - Aug. 24, 2023 vs Utah). This is the longest home unbeaten streak in the nation.
• In the past six years under Manny Martins, Utah State holds a 38-5-10 home record. During those games, the Aggies have out-scored opponents by a combined 126-37.
• Across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, USU went 13-0-5 at home and out-scored opponents by a combined 58-10.
• All-time, Utah State is 133-49-34 at home.
MARTINS MAGIC
• Utah State head coach Manny Martins, the two-time Mountain West Coach of the Year (2023, 24) and three-time Pacific Region Coach of the Year (2023, 24, 25) has led the most successful stretch of Aggie soccer in program history.
• As the head coach at USU, he has a 67-27-25 (.668) record, including a 31-15-11 (.640) mark in conference games. In the three years prior to his arrival, the team won just 16 total games.
U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A!
Utah State has several players who have spent time on the national stage recently:
• Sophomore midfielder Mia Lopez was called up to the U-19 US Women's National Team for camps this spring and summer in Portugal, Argentina and Georgia.
• Sophomore defender Capriel Winder spent a week with the U-20 US Women's National Team at its training camp in Kansas City last October.
• Junior forward Austin Miller and sophomore forward Kunie Hirai were selected for the US Soccer College Talent ID Camp in June of 2025.
PUTTING IT TO THE TEST
Utah State is playing one of the nation's most-challenging nonconference schedules this season, a slate which features six power conference opponents, eight teams which finished last season in the top 85 in RPI and five teams which made the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Entering the season, it ranked tied for the 20th-toughest nonconference schedule in the country, and the toughest by a non-P4/Big East squad.
HERE TO STAY
Utah State head coach Manny Martins, who has led the Aggies to the winningest five-year stretch in program history during his time in Logan, signed a contract extension following last season which will keep him in Logan through at least the 2030 season.
2025 HONORS
Utah State was well-represented with postseason honors last season. Those returning include:
• Junior midfielder Austin Miller was named to the All-Mountain West Second Team
• Sophomore defender Summer Sofonia was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Pacific Region First Team, the only freshman in the country to earn all-region first-team accolades.
• Head coach Manny Martins and staff were named the Pacific Region Coaching Staff of the Year for the third-straight season.
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Under coach Manny Martins, USU has established a reputation as one of the nation's top defenses, allowing less than a goal per game every year. The past five seasons combined, the Aggies have limited opponents to 0.81 goals per game. Four of the top seven seasons for goals allowed average in program history have come under Martins.
SISTER, SISTER
Utah State's 2026 roster includes three pairs of sisters. The Aggies are the only team in the country with three three sets of siblings.
• Sophomore forward Samantha Sellers is the younger sister of senior defender Solena Sellers.
• Sophomore midfield/defender Capriel Winder is the younger sister of junior defender Talia Winder.
• Sophomore midfield/forward Hadli Barrera and sophomore defender Bentli Barrera are twins. They are one of just 12 sets of twins playing on the same team this season.
UP NEXT
Utah State will wrap up its nonconference schedule next week as it travels to Pocatello, Idaho, to face Idaho State on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 4 p.m., before hosting Saint Mary's on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m.
