Weber State women's soccer received two individual awards and five first-team postseason honors from the Big Sky Conference on Thursday, November 12, 2026, following a regular-season championship run. The honors follow a dominant 9-1 victory over Idaho State on Thursday, November 5, 2026, which secured the Wildcats' Big Sky regular-season title.
Individual Accolades and First-Team Honors
Individual Accolades and First-Team Honors
Forward Lily Blum was voted as the Big Sky's offensive MVP and earned the league's top goal-scorer award, also known as the golden boot. Blum recorded a program-record 14 goals this season, a total that is far and away the highest in the Big Sky this year. According to Standard-Examiner, Blum is one of only four players in Big Sky women's soccer history to score that many goals in a single season, trailing only Montana's Karen Hardy, who set the league record with 17 goals in 1997.
Goalkeeper of the Year
Goalkeeper of the Year
Goalkeeper Lauren Butorac was named the Big Sky goalkeeper of the year, a distinction that builds upon her freshman of the year award from last season. Butorac served as an anchor for Weber State's two successful seasons under head coach Kyle Christensen. In the 9-1 victory over Idaho State on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Butorac played the first 65 minutes of the match, recording one save before being replaced by Lily Loyet.
First-Team Selections
First-Team Selections
In addition to Blum and Butorac, three other Wildcats were voted by coaches to the All-Conference first team: forward Oakley Anderson, midfielder Simone Packer, and defender Isabella Sackett. The team also received several other honors, including a second-team selection for defender Amanda Caswell and honorable mentions for forward Bonnie Buswell and defender Kenadee Godderidge.
Championship Clinching Performance
Championship Clinching Performance
The postseason honors follow a historic performance on Thursday, November 5, 2026, when Weber State defeated Idaho State 9-1 to claim the Big Sky regular-season championship. The victory brought the Wildcats to an 11-6-2 overall record and a 7-1-1 record in Big Sky play. During the match, Oakley Anderson recorded a hat trick, while Lily Blum, Simone Packer, and Cici Garcia each scored twice.
Match Details and Scoring
Match Details and Scoring
Weber State opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Anderson finished a pass from Blum. Idaho State responded less than three minutes later when Samantha Fenske converted a penalty kick at 18:43 to tie the match at 1-1. However, Weber State regained the lead in the 21st minute through a goal by Packer.
In the second half, Blum scored twice, with her second goal assisted by Anderson in the 52nd minute. Packer added her second goal in the 59th minute, assisted by Blum, while Anderson completed her hat trick with goals in the 59th and 64th minutes. Cici Garcia added the final two goals, including one in the 65th minute assisted by Bonnie Buswell and another in the 84th minute.
Coach's Reaction and Tournament Outlook
Coach's Reaction and Tournament Outlook
Following the championship-clinching win, head coach Kyle Christensen expressed pride in the team's growth and commitment. Christensen noted that while the team's direction was uncertain early in the season, the players eventually bought into the program's goals.
Weber State is scheduled to compete in the Big Sky tournament semifinals at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the University of Montana. The Wildcats, holding the No. 1 seed, will face No. 4 Idaho. The tournament is being hosted in Missoula, Montana, after Montana won hosting rights following the 2025 regular-season title. Weber State is scheduled to host the tournament in 2027.
Idaho State Tournament Berth
Idaho State Tournament Berth
Despite the 9-1 loss on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Idaho State secured the sixth and final seed in the Big Sky Conference Tournament. This marks the Bengals' first postseason appearance since 2023. Idaho State's tournament run begins on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, against the third-seeded Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in Missoula, Montana. The two teams previously played to a 2-2 draw on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
