Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
Fresno State
Pac-12 Soccer Arrives in Fort Collins This Week
9/28/2026 1:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Colorado State visits Fresno on Thursday before Senior Day and a Green Out against the Aggies on Sunday
FORT COLLINS -- Non conference is in the rearview. Colorado State soccer opens its inaugural Pac-12 season Thursday at Fresno State, then returns home Sunday for Senior Day, a Green Out and the first conference match ever played at CSU Soccer Field.
Thursday's kickoff at Bulldog Soccer Stadium in Fresno, California, is set for 8 p.m. MT (7 p.m. PT). The match streams on the Pac-12's YouTube channel, and live stats are available through StatBroadcast.
Sunday's match against Utah State at CSU Soccer Field kicks off at noon, and fans are encouraged to wear green.
Series History: Fresno State
Thursday marks the 15th meeting between the former Mountain West rivals and their first as Pac-12 members. Fresno State leads the series 7-4-3 and won the most recent meeting, 1-0, on Oct. 16, 2025, in Fresno.
The recent picture is tighter. CSU is 3-2-1 across the last six meetings, a stretch that includes a 2-0 win over the Bulldogs in the 2023 Mountain West Tournament quarterfinals and a 3-2 victory in Fort Collins on Oct. 6, 2024. Fresno has been a tougher address. The Rams are 1-6 all-time in Fresno, and their lone win there came by a 1-0 score on Oct. 5, 2023.
Series History: Utah State
Sunday marks the 18th meeting between the programs. Utah State leads the series 10-4-3 and is unbeaten in the last nine meetings, going 6-0-3 over that stretch. The Aggies also ended CSU's postseason three times in four years, in the 2021 Mountain West Tournament first round, the 2023 championship match and the 2024 semifinals.
The last two regular-season meetings finished level. The teams drew 1-1 in Fort Collins on Oct. 13, 2024, and again in Logan on Sept. 25, 2025. CSU's last win in the series came March 7, 2021, a 2-1 result in Fort Collins. Sunday offers a chance to change the channel.
Senior Day
CSU will honor six seniors before Sunday's match: goalkeeper Maddie Bassett, defender Bridget Arnold, midfielders Mia Casey and Avery Boulom, and forwards Shadia Valenzuela and Linnea Nestor.
The timing writes itself for Casey. The senior sits one assist from matching the program record, and a Senior Day helper against the Aggies would be a fitting way to do it in front of a home crowd dressed in green.
Scouting the Bulldogs
Fresno State (1-8-2) closed non conference play Sunday with a 2-0 loss at Cal. The Golden Bears scored off a corner kick a minute into the second half and added a second goal in the 70th minute, outshooting the Bulldogs 9-4.
Goals have been scarce in the Central Valley. Fresno State has scored six times in 11 matches and has been shut out in seven of them. Its lone win came Sept. 6, a 2-0 result against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and it drew Sacramento State, 1-1, and CSU Bakersfield, 2-2, at home. The Bulldogs are 1-3-2 at Bulldog Soccer Stadium.
Head coach Gabe Bolton reshaped the roster this offseason with eight transfers. Kennedy Arntzen has started the last three matches in goal and made two saves at Cal, while forward Abigail Herren led the Bulldogs with two shots Sunday.
Scouting the Aggies
Utah State arrives as one of the league's early standard-bearers. The Aggies went 7-2-2 through one of the toughest non conference schedules in program history, closing it with a late rally for a draw against Saint Mary's. [UPDATE RECORD AFTER USU'S THURSDAY MATCH]
The signature result came Sept. 10, when Utah State routed No. 13 BYU, 4-0, in front of a sold-out record crowd at Chuck & Gloria Bell Field. Four different Aggies scored, and senior midfielder Summer Diamond added a goal and an assist. For context, CSU fell 2-1 at BYU a week earlier.
Sophomore goalkeeper Ivy Nystrom had four shutouts through the Aggies' first eight matches. In front of her, sophomore defender Summer Sofonia opened the scoring against BYU and arrived with credentials, having earned United Soccer Coaches All-Pacific Region First Team honors last season.
Head coach Manny Martins has led Utah State to three straight Mountain West Tournament titles and three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
Quick Kicks
The Rams (1-7-2) enter off a 3-1 loss at Weber State on Friday. Mia Casey found the net in the 57th minute off a Kaja Dionne assist, and CSU put seven shots on frame to keep the Wildcats' keeper busy all night.
Nine of CSU's 10 matches have been decided by one goal or ended level. Friday's two-goal margin in Ogden was the first exception of the season.
Sunday's Senior Day match is the first Pac-12 contest ever played at CSU Soccer Field. The week opens a stretch of eight conference matches in just over four weeks.
Record Watch: Career Assists
Casey needs one assist to tie Gracie Armstrong's program record and two to own it outright.
- Gracie Armstrong (2019-21) - 13
- Mia Casey (2023-Pres.) - 12
- Avery Vander Ven (2023-24) - 8
Liv Layton (2019-22) - 8 - Olivia Fout (2023-25) - 7
- Sofia Coulombe (2023-25) - 6
Ali Yoshida (2021-24) - 6
Janelle Stone (2014-17) - 6
Caeley Lordemann (2017-19) - 6
What's Ahead
The Rams stay home to host Gonzaga on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 4 p.m., then head to San Diego State on Sunday, Oct. 11.
