At the beginning of the Big 12 women’s soccer tournament, there was some doubt that BYU would make the NCAA Tournament, also called the Women’s College Cup.
Well, there’s no doubt now.
That is because the Cougars claimed the league’s automatic bid on Saturday night, defeating Kansas 1-0 in the Big 12 championship match in Waco, Texas.
It is BYU’s first Big 12 soccer championship, in the Cougars’ third season in the league. BYU lost to Texas in the championship match in its first season in the Big 12, 2023.
“Pretty amazing to come into this amazing conference, and we played in the championship game our first year, and to get back here with everything that we’ve been through, and to kind of gut it out, was amazing,” said BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood. “It was a back and forth, crazy game.”
BYU’s Ellie Walbruch was simply phenomenal all tournament, but particularly in the championship game. Her goal at the 20:50 mark of the first half, the 21st minute, struck the crossbar and went into the net, from more than 30 feet away.
It was Walbruch’s 16th goal of the season and fifth of the tourney. She was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player.
Goalkeeper Chelsea Peterson, who didn’t have a start for BYU until the tournament began, was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player after recording eight saves in the championship match.
“Chelsea came up huge in the game for us, and Ellie got the winning goal,” Rockwood said. “Pretty fun.”
BYU was the last team in the tournament, earning the No. 8 seed. The Cougars are the first No. 8 seed to win it all.
“It’s been a tough year. We’ve gutted it out, and these girls have been resilient. They got up after they’ve been hit down over and over again,” Rockwood said.
“Tonight wasn’t really how we exactly wanted to play. Kansas is a fantastic team and they caused a lot of chaos and we got some lucky breaks in the second half, but you know, that is soccer, and we’ll take it.”
Peterson came up with several huge saves in the final five minutes, including a stop on a header from 5-7 yards out with about one minute remaining.
Mia Goettsche and Lucy Kesler assisted on Walbruch’s goal.
Because Kansas was No. 5 in the RPI, the win should earn BYU a better seed in the NCAA Tournament, and a home game at the start of the event.
“I am proud of this group. We’ve worked super hard this season. I mean, we haven’t had the start we wanted, but getting this Big 12 championship means so much, and it’s a perfect time (to be) peaking,” Walbruch said. “So we are just really excited for the NCAA Tournament.”
The NCAA tournament seeding will be announced during the selection show on Monday at 2 p.m. MST.