BYU Cougars
Encyclopedia
BYU Cougars is an American soccer team based in Provo, Utah
, United States
. The team plays in the USL Premier Development League
(PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.
The team plays its home games at The Stadium at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University
, where they have played since 2003. The team's colors are dark blue and white.
team of Brigham Young University
, and are one of the few openly religious teams in the PDL, their host university being the flagship educational establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The soccer tradition at Brigham Young University is one filled with great success and constant improvement. From the time soccer was given club status in the 1980s to its present day, the soccer program has moved forward finding success in competition, player development, and community service. Brigham Young University dominated the Collegiate Club Soccer Championships for a decade, winning national championships in 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2001 including an unprecedented run of 30 straight victories at the Club National Championships. This dominance has led to the program seeking higher quality competition in order to create a challenging environment where players can develop.
Because of the desire to compete against the best players and teams possible, in the year 2001, Brigham Young University participated in its first international tour. The team traveled for 10 days throughout Europe, playing 6 games in Spain and Holland. BYU compiled a 4-1-1 record, playing games in Spain against Vallecas, Rayo Vallecano reserves, and FC Barcelona reserves, and playing games in Holland against FC Sittard and Minor Nuth. In 2002, they spent 6 days in Pachuca and Mexico City playing 4 games against the various reserve teams of Pachuca and Cruz Azul, compiling a 2-2 record.
Paralleling their efforts to increase the level of competition , BYU left the collegiate club division of soccer, and purchased a Premier Development League franchise, where they began play in May 2003. Part of the United Soccer Leagues, this league provides the year round competition necessary to develop individual and team skills that in hand will better prepare them for success in their international travels. BYU is the only University sponsored soccer program to ever purchase a franchise and compete at a level considered higher than NCAA soccer in the pyramid of U.S. soccer development.
sides such as Orange County Blue Star
and Southern California Seahorses
. Despite a 3-0 victory over Nevada Wonders
in their first game, BYU's first season was a difficult one, and saw them pick up just one more victory all year, 2-1 over intra-divisional rivals Boulder Rapids Reserve
in early July which featured goals by Matthew Affleck and Christopher Lamb. The Cougars ended their freshman year in a distant 4th place, 35 points behind eventual champions Fresno Fuego
.
2004 was an improvement for the college men, but the strength of their opposition remained an unmovable obstacle. Despite picking up 8 wins in a competitive season, the Cougars still finished their year in 4th place behind Orange County, Southern California and Fresno; the highlights were a quartet of impressive wins - 6-2 over Colorado Springs Blizzard
, 5-0 over California Gold
, 4-0 over Nevada Wonders
and 4-3 over Fresno Fuego
- all of which were enlivened by goals from Matthew Affleck, Christopher Lamb and B. J. Pugmire.
2005 was much of the same, as BYU remained the Southwest 'best of the rest' behind Blue Star, the Seahorses and Fuego. 8 wins in 16 games was a decent return, enough to leave them in fourth place for the second season in a row, and the Cougars' home form was certainly impressive, including a 6-2 thrashing of Colorado Springs Blizzard
and a final day 4-0 victory over San Diego Gauchos
. Yet again Christopher Lamb was BYU's top marksman with 7 goals and 5 assists on the season, while midfielders Brock Trejo and Brazil-born Gilbert Gaertner were also influential with 5 assists each.
in the first round, it was indicative of BYU's newfound status as a regional power. The rest of the season progressed accordingly, highlighted by a dominant 4-0 win over Cascade Surge
in June, and despite a late-season stutter which saw them lose their final three regular season games, they finished a strong second in the league, 2 points behind champions Abbotsford Rangers
, and were headed for the playoffs for the first time. BYU won their conference semi-final against Southern California Seahorses
2-1, with goals from David Clark and Jacob Cavanaugh, and only lost the conference final to Orange County Blue Star
on penalties, after scoring two goals in the final 4 minutes to tie 2-2 in regulation time. It was a much more impressive season for the Cougars, anchored by 7 goals from striker Brock Trejo and three assists from Jacob Cavanaugh.
2007 was the most dominant season yet for the Cougars. Four wins in their first five games took them to the US Open Cup for the second year in a row, although they again lost their opening game, going down 2-1 to strong opposition in the form of USL-1 franchise California Victory
. BYU's loss to Tacoma Tide in the second game of the year turned out to be their only loss of the season; they were unbeaten at home the entire year, and enjoyed a number of comprehensive victories over their opponents, putting 6 past Tacoma Tide in June, and hitting Ogden Outlaws
for six in early July. The Cougars qualified for the post-season playoff with ease, wrapping up their first divisional title by mid-July, and finishing nine points clear of second place Tacoma Tide. BYU overcame the San Fernando Valley Quakes
in their playoff-semi final in front of almost 3,000 fans in Fresno
, but were bested in the Conference final by the impressive Fresno Fuego
. Steven Fellows (7), Zachary De Francis (6) and Tyson Miller (5) scored 18 of BYU's 37 goals between them.
BYU began 2008 as defending divisional champions, and got off to the best possible start with a comprehensive 5-1 home victory over Cascade Surge
in the season opener. They followed this up with a satisfactory 2-1 home win over Spokane Spiders
, but following this auspicious beginning, began to lose their way somewhat. They won just one of their next six games, 2-1 over Yakima Reds
, and suffered a tough 4-1 loss to newcomers Vancouver Whitecaps Residency
in the middle of the stretch; and while Tacoma, Vancouver and Yakima stretched out at the top of the division, BYU found themselves constantly playing catchup. A pair of wins over Utah neighbors Ogden Outlaws
briefly raised spirits somewhat, but by the final round of matches they had already been eliminated from playoff contention. A 1-1 tie with Abbotsford Mariners on the final day of the season compounded the disappointment, and the Cougars finished a distant fourth in the standings, 10 points off the playoff spots. Zachary De Francis proved to be BYU's most potent striker, with 8 goals for the season.
off a goal by Steven Fellows, but found the early games tough going, winning just one of their next six games (1-0 at home over the Hollywood United Hitmen
), while suffering a 4-0 defeat in the return fixture against Hollywood in which midfielder B. J. Pugmire ruptured his knee ligaments. BYU's season was literally one of two halves - the first spent mainly on the road, the second at home in Provo
- and their home form was impressive. They won four of their last six regular season games, including an impressive 3-0 victory over Bakersfield Brigade
, but concluded with a disappointing 3-3 tie with the Lancaster Rattlers
. In the end, BYU's spotty early season form cost them dearly, and they ultimately finished fourth in the table, three points out of the playoffs. Steven Fellows and Richie Bindrup were the Cougars' top scorers, with 5 goals and 4 goals respectively.
BYU's tough time in the Southwest continued in 2010, a season in which the Cougars won just four games, twice over the Southern California Seahorses
and twice against their Utah rivals Ogden Outlaws
. The season started promisingly with a 2-2 tie with Orange County Blue Star
, in which they came back from an early 2-0 deficit, but they lost their next three games on the bounce, and didn't pick up their first victory of the season until the last week of may, 2-0 over the Seahorses. BYU were competitive all season, with most games being close 2-1 or 3-1 decisions (their heaviest defeat of the season was a 3-0 loss to the Hollywood United Hitmen
), but the Cougar's inability to hold onto leads proved costly: they dropped points against Lancaster Rattlers
from a winning position, and conceded an injury time penalty kick in their 2-1 loss to Fresno Fuego
. Despite an impressive 3-1 win over Ogden in their final regular season game, BYU finished a distant 8th in the standings, 20 points behind divisional champs Ventura County Fusion
. Antonio Niccoli was the team's top scorer, with 4 goals.
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The team plays in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
(PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
American Soccer Pyramid
The United States soccer pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in the United States. The country's governing body for the sport, the United States Soccer Federation , oversees the system but does not operate any of its component leagues—with one temporary...
, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.
The team plays its home games at The Stadium at South Field on the campus of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, where they have played since 2003. The team's colors are dark blue and white.
Early years
The BYU Cougars team is the men's college soccerCollege soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
team of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, and are one of the few openly religious teams in the PDL, their host university being the flagship educational establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The soccer tradition at Brigham Young University is one filled with great success and constant improvement. From the time soccer was given club status in the 1980s to its present day, the soccer program has moved forward finding success in competition, player development, and community service. Brigham Young University dominated the Collegiate Club Soccer Championships for a decade, winning national championships in 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2001 including an unprecedented run of 30 straight victories at the Club National Championships. This dominance has led to the program seeking higher quality competition in order to create a challenging environment where players can develop.
Because of the desire to compete against the best players and teams possible, in the year 2001, Brigham Young University participated in its first international tour. The team traveled for 10 days throughout Europe, playing 6 games in Spain and Holland. BYU compiled a 4-1-1 record, playing games in Spain against Vallecas, Rayo Vallecano reserves, and FC Barcelona reserves, and playing games in Holland against FC Sittard and Minor Nuth. In 2002, they spent 6 days in Pachuca and Mexico City playing 4 games against the various reserve teams of Pachuca and Cruz Azul, compiling a 2-2 record.
Paralleling their efforts to increase the level of competition , BYU left the collegiate club division of soccer, and purchased a Premier Development League franchise, where they began play in May 2003. Part of the United Soccer Leagues, this league provides the year round competition necessary to develop individual and team skills that in hand will better prepare them for success in their international travels. BYU is the only University sponsored soccer program to ever purchase a franchise and compete at a level considered higher than NCAA soccer in the pyramid of U.S. soccer development.
Joining the PDL
Their first season in the PDL saw BYU in the Southwest division, competing against traditionally strong southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
sides such as Orange County Blue Star
Orange County Blue Star
Orange County Blue Star is an American soccer team based in Irvine, California, United States. Founded in 1997, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games at...
and Southern California Seahorses
Southern California Seahorses
Southern California Seahorses is an American soccer team based in La Mirada, California, United States. Founded in 2001, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home...
. Despite a 3-0 victory over Nevada Wonders
Nevada Wonders
Nevada Wonders were an American soccer team, founded in 2003. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2005, when the team left the league and the franchise was terminated.They played their home games in...
in their first game, BYU's first season was a difficult one, and saw them pick up just one more victory all year, 2-1 over intra-divisional rivals Boulder Rapids Reserve
Boulder Rapids Reserve
Colorado Rapids U23's was an American soccer team based in Boulder, Colorado, United States. Founded in 2000 as part of the development system for the Colorado Rapids Major League Soccer franchise, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer...
in early July which featured goals by Matthew Affleck and Christopher Lamb. The Cougars ended their freshman year in a distant 4th place, 35 points behind eventual champions Fresno Fuego
Fresno Fuego
Fresno Fuego is an American soccer team based in Fresno, California, United States. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games at Chukchansi...
.
2004 was an improvement for the college men, but the strength of their opposition remained an unmovable obstacle. Despite picking up 8 wins in a competitive season, the Cougars still finished their year in 4th place behind Orange County, Southern California and Fresno; the highlights were a quartet of impressive wins - 6-2 over Colorado Springs Blizzard
Colorado Springs Blizzard
Colorado Springs Blizzard were an American soccer team, founded in 2004. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2006, when the team left the league and the franchise was terminated.The Blizzard played...
, 5-0 over California Gold
California Gold
Not to be confused with the television series California's GoldCalifornia Gold was an American soccer team, founded in 2002. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2006, when the team left the league and...
, 4-0 over Nevada Wonders
Nevada Wonders
Nevada Wonders were an American soccer team, founded in 2003. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2005, when the team left the league and the franchise was terminated.They played their home games in...
and 4-3 over Fresno Fuego
Fresno Fuego
Fresno Fuego is an American soccer team based in Fresno, California, United States. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games at Chukchansi...
- all of which were enlivened by goals from Matthew Affleck, Christopher Lamb and B. J. Pugmire.
2005 was much of the same, as BYU remained the Southwest 'best of the rest' behind Blue Star, the Seahorses and Fuego. 8 wins in 16 games was a decent return, enough to leave them in fourth place for the second season in a row, and the Cougars' home form was certainly impressive, including a 6-2 thrashing of Colorado Springs Blizzard
Colorado Springs Blizzard
Colorado Springs Blizzard were an American soccer team, founded in 2004. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2006, when the team left the league and the franchise was terminated.The Blizzard played...
and a final day 4-0 victory over San Diego Gauchos
San Diego Gauchos
San Diego Gauchos were an American soccer team, founded in 2002. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2006, when the team was sold to new owners, and the franchise was disbanded.The Gauchos played their...
. Yet again Christopher Lamb was BYU's top marksman with 7 goals and 5 assists on the season, while midfielders Brock Trejo and Brazil-born Gilbert Gaertner were also influential with 5 assists each.
Move Northwest
BYU realigned to the Northwest division in 2006 and, with the 'big three' finally out of the way, the Cougars finally began to see success. Five wins in their first six games took them to the US Open Cup for the first time in their history, and although they were comprehensively beaten 5-1 by Arizona SahuarosArizona Sahuaros
Arizona Sahuaros is an American soccer team based in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1989, the team is member of the National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in the first round, it was indicative of BYU's newfound status as a regional power. The rest of the season progressed accordingly, highlighted by a dominant 4-0 win over Cascade Surge
Cascade Surge
Cascade Surge was an American soccer team based in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1995, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009, when the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team played its home games...
in June, and despite a late-season stutter which saw them lose their final three regular season games, they finished a strong second in the league, 2 points behind champions Abbotsford Rangers
Abbotsford Rangers
Abbotsford Mariners is a Canadian soccer team based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games at...
, and were headed for the playoffs for the first time. BYU won their conference semi-final against Southern California Seahorses
Southern California Seahorses
Southern California Seahorses is an American soccer team based in La Mirada, California, United States. Founded in 2001, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home...
2-1, with goals from David Clark and Jacob Cavanaugh, and only lost the conference final to Orange County Blue Star
Orange County Blue Star
Orange County Blue Star is an American soccer team based in Irvine, California, United States. Founded in 1997, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games at...
on penalties, after scoring two goals in the final 4 minutes to tie 2-2 in regulation time. It was a much more impressive season for the Cougars, anchored by 7 goals from striker Brock Trejo and three assists from Jacob Cavanaugh.
2007 was the most dominant season yet for the Cougars. Four wins in their first five games took them to the US Open Cup for the second year in a row, although they again lost their opening game, going down 2-1 to strong opposition in the form of USL-1 franchise California Victory
California Victory
The California Victory was a USL First Division professional soccer team based in San Francisco, California. It was an expansion team for the 2007 season, but ceased operation in September of that year after parent club Deportivo Alavés withdrew its support....
. BYU's loss to Tacoma Tide in the second game of the year turned out to be their only loss of the season; they were unbeaten at home the entire year, and enjoyed a number of comprehensive victories over their opponents, putting 6 past Tacoma Tide in June, and hitting Ogden Outlaws
Ogden Outlaws
Ogden Outlaws is an American soccer team based in Ogden, Utah, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference....
for six in early July. The Cougars qualified for the post-season playoff with ease, wrapping up their first divisional title by mid-July, and finishing nine points clear of second place Tacoma Tide. BYU overcame the San Fernando Valley Quakes
San Fernando Valley Quakes
San Fernando Valley Quakes was an American soccer team based in Calabasas, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2008, when the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team...
in their playoff-semi final in front of almost 3,000 fans in Fresno
Fresno
Fresno is the fifth largest city in California.Fresno may also refer to:-Places:Colombia* Fresno, TolimaSpain* Fresno, a ghost village in Nidáliga, Valle de Sedano, Burgos* Aldea del Fresno, Madrid* Fresno de la Vega, Ribera del Esla, León...
, but were bested in the Conference final by the impressive Fresno Fuego
Fresno Fuego
Fresno Fuego is an American soccer team based in Fresno, California, United States. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games at Chukchansi...
. Steven Fellows (7), Zachary De Francis (6) and Tyson Miller (5) scored 18 of BYU's 37 goals between them.
BYU began 2008 as defending divisional champions, and got off to the best possible start with a comprehensive 5-1 home victory over Cascade Surge
Cascade Surge
Cascade Surge was an American soccer team based in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1995, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009, when the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team played its home games...
in the season opener. They followed this up with a satisfactory 2-1 home win over Spokane Spiders
Spokane Spiders
Spokane Spiders was an American soccer team based in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 2006, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference...
, but following this auspicious beginning, began to lose their way somewhat. They won just one of their next six games, 2-1 over Yakima Reds
Yakima Reds
Yakima Reds was an American soccer team based in Yakima, Washington, United States. Founded in 1995, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference...
, and suffered a tough 4-1 loss to newcomers Vancouver Whitecaps Residency
Vancouver Whitecaps Residency
Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, formerly known as Whitecaps FC Reserves, is a Canadian soccer team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Although founded in 2005 as part of the development system for the Vancouver Whitecaps USL First Division franchise, beginning in 2011 they are part of the...
in the middle of the stretch; and while Tacoma, Vancouver and Yakima stretched out at the top of the division, BYU found themselves constantly playing catchup. A pair of wins over Utah neighbors Ogden Outlaws
Ogden Outlaws
Ogden Outlaws is an American soccer team based in Ogden, Utah, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference....
briefly raised spirits somewhat, but by the final round of matches they had already been eliminated from playoff contention. A 1-1 tie with Abbotsford Mariners on the final day of the season compounded the disappointment, and the Cougars finished a distant fourth in the standings, 10 points off the playoff spots. Zachary De Francis proved to be BYU's most potent striker, with 8 goals for the season.
Southwest realignment
BYU realigned to the Southwest Division in 2009 following the PDL expansion in the Pacific Northwest, and won their opening game 1-0 over the Lancaster RattlersLancaster Rattlers
Lancaster Rattlers is an American soccer team based in Lancaster, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division.The team plays its home games...
off a goal by Steven Fellows, but found the early games tough going, winning just one of their next six games (1-0 at home over the Hollywood United Hitmen
Hollywood United Hitmen
Hollywood United Hitmen is an American soccer team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 2009, the team plays in National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northwest Division, having switched from the...
), while suffering a 4-0 defeat in the return fixture against Hollywood in which midfielder B. J. Pugmire ruptured his knee ligaments. BYU's season was literally one of two halves - the first spent mainly on the road, the second at home in Provo
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
- and their home form was impressive. They won four of their last six regular season games, including an impressive 3-0 victory over Bakersfield Brigade
Bakersfield Brigade
Bakersfield Brigade was an American soccer team based in Bakersfield, California, United States. Founded in 2005, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009, after which the franchise folded and the team left the league.The...
, but concluded with a disappointing 3-3 tie with the Lancaster Rattlers
Lancaster Rattlers
Lancaster Rattlers is an American soccer team based in Lancaster, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division.The team plays its home games...
. In the end, BYU's spotty early season form cost them dearly, and they ultimately finished fourth in the table, three points out of the playoffs. Steven Fellows and Richie Bindrup were the Cougars' top scorers, with 5 goals and 4 goals respectively.
BYU's tough time in the Southwest continued in 2010, a season in which the Cougars won just four games, twice over the Southern California Seahorses
Southern California Seahorses
Southern California Seahorses is an American soccer team based in La Mirada, California, United States. Founded in 2001, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home...
and twice against their Utah rivals Ogden Outlaws
Ogden Outlaws
Ogden Outlaws is an American soccer team based in Ogden, Utah, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference....
. The season started promisingly with a 2-2 tie with Orange County Blue Star
Orange County Blue Star
Orange County Blue Star is an American soccer team based in Irvine, California, United States. Founded in 1997, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games at...
, in which they came back from an early 2-0 deficit, but they lost their next three games on the bounce, and didn't pick up their first victory of the season until the last week of may, 2-0 over the Seahorses. BYU were competitive all season, with most games being close 2-1 or 3-1 decisions (their heaviest defeat of the season was a 3-0 loss to the Hollywood United Hitmen
Hollywood United Hitmen
Hollywood United Hitmen is an American soccer team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 2009, the team plays in National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northwest Division, having switched from the...
), but the Cougar's inability to hold onto leads proved costly: they dropped points against Lancaster Rattlers
Lancaster Rattlers
Lancaster Rattlers is an American soccer team based in Lancaster, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division.The team plays its home games...
from a winning position, and conceded an injury time penalty kick in their 2-1 loss to Fresno Fuego
Fresno Fuego
Fresno Fuego is an American soccer team based in Fresno, California, United States. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games at Chukchansi...
. Despite an impressive 3-1 win over Ogden in their final regular season game, BYU finished a distant 8th in the standings, 20 points behind divisional champs Ventura County Fusion
Ventura County Fusion
Ventura County Fusion is an American soccer team based in Ventura, California, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.The team plays its home games in...
. Antonio Niccoli was the team's top scorer, with 4 goals.
Current roster
As of June 10, 2011.Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 4 | USL PDL | 4th, Southwest | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2004 | 4 | USL PDL | 4th, Southwest | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2005 | 4 | USL PDL | 4th, Southwest | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2006 | 4 | USL PDL | 2nd, Northwest | Conference Finals | 1st Round |
| 2007 | 4 | USL PDL | 1st, Northwest | Conference Finals | 1st Round |
| 2008 | 4 | USL PDL | 4th, Northwest | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2009 | 4 | USL PDL | 4th, Southwest | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2010 | 4 | USL PDL | 8th, Southwest | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2011 | 4 | USL PDL | 5th, Southwest | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
Stadia
- The Stadium at South Field; Provo, UtahProvo, UtahProvo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
(1995–present) (40.247°N 111.655°W)
Average attendance
Attendance stats are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the historical match archive at http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html.- 2005: 378
- 2006: 414
- 2007: 525
- 2008: 587
- 2009: 603
- 2010: 858