Game #17
Who | No. 2 Utah Tech (4-6-6, 3-1-3 WAC) vs. No. 3 Grand Canyon (11-3-4, 3-1-3)
When | Wednesday, Nov. 12 - 5 p.m. (MT)
Where | CBU Soccer Stadium - Riverside, Calif.
Social Media | Instagram + Twitter (X) + #UtahTechBlazers

TRAILBLAZERS IN THE WAC TOURNAMENT
This is UT's third-straight WAC Tournament appearance, dating back to the program's first appearance in 2023. The Trailblazers are 1-2 all-time in the WAC Tournament, with their lone win coming over San José State, 1-0, in the first round of the 2023 tourney. Former Trailblazer Austin Wallace scored UT's only Division I era postseason goal.

All-time, Utah Tech is 2-4-0 in postseason play. UT's only other postseason win was over Westminster (UT), 1-0, in the 2019 RMAC Tournament. Moises Medina scored the game-winner on a free kick in the 83rd minute.

RECORD SETTERS
Utah Tech has set Division I era single-season records for goals (22), assists (24) and points (68). Among program single-season records, the 2025 Trailblazers rank fifth in assists (24), tied for fifth in shutouts (4), sixth in points (68) and tied for sixth in goals (22).

With its 2-1 win at No. 25 California Baptist on Oct. 26, Utah Tech posted its first DI win over a ranked opponent, its first win over a ranked opponent since 2012 and its second all-time win over a ranked opponent. 

GOALKEEPER U
Freshman goalkeeper Luca Campoli was named the 2025 WAC Goalkeeper of the Year. He made his first career appearance at UC San Diego, combining for a shutout with an injured Stockton Short. Since then, Campoli has started 10 matches, totaling 35 saves and two solo shutouts. In conference play, he led the WAC in saves (27) and save percentage (.771), while tying for first in shutouts (2) and second in goals against average (1.14). Campoli is the fourth goalkeeper of the year in program history, and the first since the Trailblazers racked up three-straight in the PacWest in 2015-2017. Campoli was also named to the All-WAC First Team and WAC All-Freshman Team for his performance this season.

In the 2025 WAC Preseason Awards, it was senior goalkeeper Stockton Short who was predicted to be GK of the Year, based on voting by WAC head coaches. While he wasn't able to compete in WAC play due to injury, the league's coaches knew that Utah Tech's netminder would be formidable. 

SUPERB SKIPPER
UT head coach Jonny Broadhead was named the 2025 WAC Coach of the Year. It was his first career selection and Utah Tech's second coach of the year, following Josh Pittman earning the PacWest's award in 2015. After a rough 1-5-3 start to the season, Broadhead led the Trailblazers to a second-half resurgence. In WAC play, the Trailblazers led the league in goals (14) and points (40), while ranking second in goals allowed (8), saves (30) and shutouts (2). Under the leadership of Broadhead, UT defied a preseason ranking of eighth in the WAC, last in the coaches poll, to total 12 points with a mark of 3-1-3, finishing second in the conference, UT's best-ever placement in the WAC.

RELIABLE ROGERS
Sophomore forward Taylor Rogers leads the Trailblazers with 19 points, seven goals and five assists. His 19 points are fifth in the WAC and 58th nationally. Rogers's seven goals are fifth in the conference and 69th in the nation. His five assists are tied for fifth in the WAC and 95th nationally.

Rogers has set the DI Trailblazer record in single-season goals (7), netting the most goals since Moises Medina totaled 10 in 2019. Rogers has also set D-I records in points (19), totaling the best mark since Medina's 26 in 2019, and assists (5), besting Bryce Backlund's four in 2024. 

NIELSEN IS ON TARGET
Sophomore midfielder Dunes Nielsen leads all qualified Trailblazers with a 53.6% shot accuracy. That ranks second in the WAC and 26th nationally. His 1.15 shots on goal per game are fourth in the conference and 86th in the nation. 

As a team, Utah Tech leads the WAC and ranks 27th nationally with a 46.6% shot accuracy.

AT THE PEAK IN 2026
Utah Tech will join the Mountain West Conference as an affiliate in men's soccer in 2026, as announced on Oct. 29. The Trailblazers will join current conference mates, Air Force, Grand Canyon, San José State and UNLV. Also tagging along is UC Davis, which will leave the Big West to become a non-football member of the MW. UT has a 13-19-3 record all-time against its future conference mates. The MW is the first conference to add men's soccer since the Ohio Valley Conference in 2023. 

LAST TIME OUT
Despite a spooky start, Utah Tech men's soccer stormed back for a 2-2 draw with Utah Valley on Halloween night at Greater Zion Stadium. UVU scored off freshman goalkeeper Luca Campoli's first save, heading the ball past the goal line on the right side of the net to earn an early 1-0 lead in the third minute. The Wolverines extended their advantage to 2-0 in the 30th minute. Utah Valley gave UT a penalty kick on a handball in the box. Sophomore forward Taylor Rogers converted the PK, blasting a right-footer into the top left corner to cut the UVU lead to 2-1 in the 35th minute. On his fourth shot of the evening, sophomore midfielder Dunes Nielsen tied the game in the 56th minute. Redshirt sophomore defender Tanner Dutra sent a ball over 50 yards forward to Nielsen, who opened a window between two Wolverines by cutting to the left and then chipped a shot over the keeper with his left foot. The Trailblazers went down a man in the 80th minute when junior defender Miguel Regino was shown his second yellow card. Campoli posted six saves, including five in the second half, to preserve the 2-2 draw for Utah Tech. Utah Valley outshot the Trailblazers 16-7 with an 8-4 edge in shots on goal.

DÉJÀ VU
Utah Tech and Grand Canyon met in Phoenix, Arizona, earlier this season, culminating in a 2-2 draw on Oct. 23. It was the first draw in series history. GCU is the first opponent to face Utah Tech for a second time this season.

Last Meeting Recap: GCU struck first, taking a 1-0 lead with the first shot on goal of the contest in the 31st minute. UT leveled the contest with a penalty kick goal in the 35th minute. Freshman midfielder Jacob Cinelli was fouled in the box by GCU freshman midfielder Diego Sanchez, giving sophomore forward Taylor Rogers an opportunity from the spot. Utah Tech claimed a 2-1 lead in the 65th minute. After an initial shot by Rogers was saved, redshirt freshman midfielder/defender Mitch Williams cleaned up, scoring his second career goal with a right-footed shot on the loose ball. GCU freshman forward Junior Diouf equalized the match with a penalty kick in the 85th minute, scoring down the middle after a stutter step from the spot. The Lopes outshot the Trailblazers 15-9, but each side logged six shots on goal. Each team was called for 13 fouls and one offside.

SCOUTING GRAND CANYON
GCU is on a three-game winning streak after taking down No. 6 Utah Valley, 1-0, in the first round of the WAC Tournament on Sunday. The Lopes have not been defeated in six straight, suffering their last loss at California Baptist, 1-0, on Oct. 12. 

Freshman forward Junior Diouf is the WAC's Offensive Player and Freshman of the Year, following a 14-goal regular season to lead the WAC and rank fourth in the nation. Nationally, Diouf also ranks fourth in shots per game (4.00), fifth in total points (32) and eighth in shots on goal per game (1.81).

In net, graduate goalkeeper Daniel Ibarra has posted a 0.76 goals against average and an .820 save percentage this season. With five shutouts and 50 saves, Ibarra ranks in the top four of the conference in all goalkeeping statistics. 

As a team, GCU leads the WAC in goal differential (+20), goals against average (.778), total assists (32) and total points (100). 

SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday's match is the 17th all-time meeting between GCU and UT, dating back to the teams' Division II days. The matchup is Utah Tech's second-most-played opponent all-time, behind California Baptist at 17 meetings. Grand Canyon leads the series 10-5-1, but this will be the first neutral-site and postseason meeting between the two sides. The Trailblazers drew the Lopes, 2-2, this season on Oct. 23 in Phoenix. It was the first draw in series history. Utah Tech is 3-0-1 in its last four meetings with Grand Canyon.

CHASING HISTORY
Among Utah Tech's career records, sophomore forward Taylor Rogers is tied for fourth in goals (9), tied for sixth in points (24) and tied for 10th in assists (6). Senior midfielder Oliver Stone is tied for seventh in matches played (64). Senior goalkeeper Stockton Short is third in saves (210), third in minutes played (4,120), third in goals against average (1.45) and fourth in shutouts (7).

In UT's single-season records, Rogers is fourth in points (19), tied for fifth in goals (7), and tied for eighth in assists (5). 

2024 RECAP
Utah Tech made its second-straight WAC Tournament appearance after finishing sixth in the regular season with 1.22 points per conference game. The Trailblazers surged in the latter half of the season, totaling 10 points in their final five matches with three wins and a draw to clinch the final tournament spot. Overall, UT went 4-10-4 with a 3-4-2 mark in league play. Utah Tech received three all-WAC selections with junior forward Samir Cuevas (Second Team) and redshirt sophomore defender Tanner Dutra (Freshman Team) returning for this season. 

WHAT'S NEXT
The WAC Tournament championship game is set for Saturday, Nov. 15. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. (MT) at CBU Soccer Stadium in Riverside, California.