Depth, resilience define Utah State Soccer’s Mountain West three-peat
The 2025 season for Utah State Soccer was a test from beginning to end — one marked by adversity, adaptation and ultimately, success.
Under head coach Manny Martins, the Aggies secured their third straight Mountain West Women’s Soccer Championship and punched their ticket once again to the NCAA tournament, doing so with contributions across the roster from starters, reserves and newcomers alike.
From the outset, Utah State entered the year with momentum. The team came off a 2024 season in which it achieved a program record 18 wins and earned a top 10 national ranking. The preseason coaches’ poll in the Mountain West picked the Aggies to finish first, setting expectations early.
“Our identity has stayed the same,” Martins said. “Stylistically, every year, you’re a little bit different because it depends on personnel. But to be able to evolve yet still be able to achieve that — it speaks to the identity [and] speaks to the quality of individuals that we have recruited here.”
USU Women’s Soccer Head Coach Manny Martin claps to fans after USU’s game against Utah at Chuck & Gloria Bell Field on Aug 28.
That personnel piece proved crucial in 2025. The Aggies showed up in August ready to prove themselves, securing a road win at Washington State University and following with strong showings against Power 5 opponents. While USU began the year with a tough schedule, including four NCAA tournament opponents, the team’s statistical profile remained among the conference’s best: leading the league in shots, goals and assists and ranking No. 2 in shutouts and No. 3 in fewest goals allowed.
But numbers alone don’t capture how this team handled its mid-season crash test. With injuries mounting and fatigue accumulating, this team faced one of its most demanding stretches — four matches in 10 days at the end of the regular season and into the conference tournament.
“We haven’t experienced that in the time that I’ve been here,” Martins said. “Not only was it four games in 10 days, but four very physically demanding games. Really proud of the group for having the resilience to push through.”
In Boise, Idaho for the Mountain West tournament, Utah State showed sharpness at precisely the right time.
In the quarterfinal, first-year forward Kunie Hirai — a Boise native with only occasional minutes prior — came on and delivered the game-winning goal at the 70:48 mark in a 1-0 win over the University of New Mexico.
In the semifinal, sophomore midfielder Rachel Reitz entered as a substitute and scored her first collegiate point to win in overtime over Air Force Academy.
In the title game, senior forward Kaylie Chambers assisted on junior midfielder Summer Diamond’s goal to break things open, sophomore Talia Winder converted her PK despite not playing all tournament and graduate keeper Taylor Rath — though she had lost the starting job during the tournament — came in for the shootout and made two crucial saves en route to being named tournament MVP.
Meanwhile, junior goalkeeper Allee Grashoff had started all three tournament games and logged two shutouts despite limited experience in the regular season. These moments of depth defined the “stay ready” mentality that senior forward Tess Werts said is constantly preached in team meetings.
“You never know when your name is going to get called, and I think those people definitely showed it over the weekend in the tournament,” Werts said. “Especially knowing injuries can happen whenever and changes can be made whenever and each game needs something different. I think everyone had a great mindset going in and was ready when their name got called.”
Tess Werts (12) steals the ball from a Washington player at Chuck & Gloria Bell Soccer Field on Nov. 15, 2024.
This Aggies team was built to handle variance. When primary contributors were injured or fatigued, young defenders like Summer Sofonia and Kaeda Wilson logged more minutes than anyone on the roster. First-year defender Capriel Winder — though left off the all-conference lists — played at a nationally recognized level, even earning a call-up to the U.S. Women’s National Team training camp.
Werts also reflected on the growth over the season from the season-opening loss against Pacific University to the championship-caliber team that arrived in November.
“I think chemistry is the biggest thing,” Werts said. “We have a young team, and they’re all so amazing players, but I think getting the style about how we play down and getting familiar with playing with certain players also helps. I think just the amount of games we’ve played and grown from each game has helped a lot.”
The tonal shift was especially visible in conference play, where the Aggies went 5-2-3. They leaned into home dominance, but more importantly, improved away and neutral-site results — something Martins stressed as a confidence builder.
“Earlier in the season, we had a bit of a tough time getting results away from home,” he said. “I think that helps a little bit with confidence.”
The final numbers: A 10-6-6 overall record and the Mountain West tournament trophy raising. The title was Utah State’s third straight and its fifth in program history, placing them in company with only two other teams in Mountain West history to win three straight.
The 2025 season forged Utah State’s culture of sustained excellence and adaptability. With seniors like Werts and Chambers leading the way and younger players such as Hirai, Reitz and Sofonia stepping up, the Aggies blended veteran experience with emerging talent.
“Every championship has been different,” Martins said. “I would say this one was the hardest one, but also, even just in how we played, we have evolved as a team. I think it sends a clear message to our recruits or incoming prospects what the standards are here. We’re always competing for a championship.”
As the Aggies compete in the NCAA tournament once again, and with a growing roster of contributors ready for the next step, the question is not just who they are but how far they can go. The 2025 season built the foundation, sharpened the tools and highlighted the depth. Now this program will look to break through on the national stage.