2018 #BigSkySoccer Year in Review
Weekly Notebook (PDF)
OGDEN, Utah (December 7, 2018) - The Big Sky Conference's 22nd season of women's soccer saw many highs with Montana advancing to the NCAA Tournament and several student-athletes being recognized regionally and nationally. Below we take a look at a few of the highlights from the 2018 campaign.
2018 Highlights
- Five Big Sky teams finished with a record of .500 or better (Weber State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Idaho and Eastern Washington)
- Montana claimed its fifth Big Sky Championship in 2018, upsetting three of the top four seeds to earn its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2011
- The Grizzlies became just the second fifth-seeded team to win the Big Sky Championship
- A league-record eight student-athletes were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Team
- Northern Colorado senior midfielder Mariel Gutierrez became the first player in league history to be named a four-time all-region selection by earning a spot on the first team
- Gutierrez was also just the fourth player in Big Sky history to earn four All-Big Sky First Team honors
- Idaho senior defender Kelly Dopke received Google Cloud Academic All-America® First Team accolades, the first Big Sky women’s soccer student-athlete to earn the honor since 2010
- Dopke became just the fifth player in league history to earn first team academic all-America honors and the ninth overall
- Northern Arizona tied a pair of Big Sky season records by allowing just 12 goals and posting six-straight shutouts. The 12 goals allowed matched a 20-year league record set by Weber State in 1998
- Weber State senior midfielder Chansi Crompton broke a nine-year Big Sky career record this season finishing with 27 assists
United Soccer Coaches All-West Region
First Team
Mariel Gutierrez, Northern Colorado
Second Team
Kelly Dopke, Idaho
Jenny Chavez, Eastern Washington
Maddie Roberts, Northern Colorado
Third Team
Carly Gamble, Northern Arizona
Taryn Miller, Montana
Myah Merino, Idaho
Morgan Quarnberg, Weber State
2018 Big Sky Championship
Wednesday, Oct. 31 (Quarterfinals)
#3 Northern Colorado 3, #6 Eastern Washington 1
#5 Montana 1, #4 Northern Arizona 0
Friday, Nov. 2 (Semifinals)
#3 Northern Colorado 3, #2 Idaho 0
#5 Montana 2, #1 Weber State 0
Sunday, Nov. 4 (Championship)
#5 Montana 1, #3 Northern Colorado 0
2018 Big Sky All-Tournament Team
Janessa Fowler, Montana (MVP)
Alexa Coyle, Montana
Claire Howard, Montana
Taryn Miller, Montana
Taylor Hansen, Montana
Mariel Gutierrez, Northern Colorado
Maddie Roberts, Northern Colorado
Lindsi Jennings, Northern Colorado
Olivia Glassford, Weber State
Nixie Hernandez, Weber State
Kelly Dopke, Idaho
Brooke Sosa, Idaho
2018 NCAA Tournament Results
Friday, Nov. 9 (First Round)
Washington State 5, Montana 1