OREM—Utah Valley opens a new chapter in program history Wednesday night as the Wolverines begin their first-ever season of Big West play against CSU Bakersfield at UCCU Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT with the match broadcast live on ESPN+.
Utah Valley enters conference play with a 4-4-1 overall record after closing out its non-conference schedule with a 3-0 shutout victory over in-state rival Weber State on Saturday night. Josie Clawson scored twice, Quinn Rustand added her first career goal and Nixan Jackson recorded three assists in the win. Freshman goalkeeper Madeleine Boucher made four saves to secure her third shutout of the season.
Wednesday's match marks Utah Valley's first conference game outside the Western Athletic Conference since 2012. The Wolverines competed in the WAC for 13 seasons from 2013-25 before joining The Big West for the 2026 season.
Utah Valley moved up to No. 3 in the West Region in the latest IWSOC Coaches Poll in partnership with United Soccer Coaches. The Wolverines are averaging 1.44 goals per match while outshooting opponents 118-94 through nine matches. UVU has also generated 57 corner kicks, averaging 6.33 per game.
Jackson leads Utah Valley with seven points on one goal and five assists. Her five assists rank second in The Big West, while Clawson leads the Wolverines with three goals and ranks second on the team with six points. Kate Booth has scored twice, while Sadie Beardall, Ashley Garcia, Kate Shirts, Addie Olson, Malia Jessop and Rustand have each found the back of the net once.
Boucher has been one of The Big West's top goalkeepers through the opening month of the season. She owns a 4-2-1 record with a 0.80 goals-against average and an .829 save percentage in eight appearances. Boucher has made 29 saves and recorded three shutouts.
CSU Bakersfield enters Wednesday's match with a 1-7-1 overall record after earning a 2-2 draw at Fresno State on Sunday. The Roadrunners twice battled back from one-goal deficits, including a late equalizer in the 78th minute. CSUB's lone victory this season came in a 2-1 home win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Sept. 3.
The Roadrunners have scored four goals while allowing 16 through nine matches and are averaging 9.6 shots per match. Daniela Osejo leads CSUB with three points on one goal and one assist, while Jaiden Gore and CJ Walters have also scored this season. Gore leads the Roadrunners with 21 shots and eight attempts on goal.
Sophomore goalkeeper Addyson Evens has started eight matches for CSU Bakersfield and owns a 1.47 goals-against average with an .836 save percentage. Evens has made 56 saves and ranks among the national leaders with 7.00 saves per match.
Utah Valley leads CSU Bakersfield 9-3-0 in the all-time series and has won eight of the last 10 meetings. The Wolverines are 4-2-0 against the Roadrunners in Orem. The programs last met on Oct. 6, 2019, when CSU Bakersfield earned a 3-2 victory in Bakersfield. UVU's most recent win in the series came in a 3-0 shutout at home on Oct. 12, 2018.
Utah Valley will travel to La Jolla, Calif., to take on UC San Diego on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. MT.
