LOGAN — This year’s Utah State soccer team continues to make history with its meteoric rise through the collegiate soccer ranks. After a pair of dominant wins this past week, USU is now ranked No. 9 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
The 9th overall ranking — the highest achieved by any USU sports team since the 1971 men’s basketball team were also ranked 9th — comes after wins of 3-0 over Utah Valley and 9-3 against Pacific. It’s a jump from last week’s No. 11 ranking and No. 19 before that. Prior to 2024, the Aggies had never been ranked or even received a vote in the poll.
Fourth-year head coach Manny Martins said that previously he’s not even done much to celebrate accolades he or his players got in the interest of staying focused, but said he’s “growing up a little bit.”
“I think it’s important to enjoy the moments you’re in,” Martins said. “We’re trying to balance it where we enjoy the moment we’re in. It’s real. That’s where we are. We’re getting the attention, and [we’re] learning to navigate it while staying grounded and focused. So it is nice, special because it’s a recognition from our peers. It sort of helps validate the work that’s being done. But in the end, the reality of it’s the only one that matters is the last poll.”
Utah State has put together a dominant combination of elite offense and defense. Under Martins, the Aggies have typically been great on defense (last year ranking 42nd in goals allowed nationally and first in the Mountain West). This year’s Aggies have added a powerful offense, going from ranking 197th in goals scored last year to seventh so far this year. Put another way, the 2023 Aggies had 28 goals the entire season, this year’s team already has 25.
The Aggies’ most recent game showcased the high end of their offensive prowess with nine goals against Pacific. It tied for second-most goals in a single game in program history and the 41 total shots (including 29 on goal) tied the program single-game record.
This week will bring a little bit of rest after several two-game weeks. Utah State will not play until Sunday, which will be seven days following their game against Pacific, at which time they’ll travel to Ogden to take on Weber State. That will mark the fourth and final road game the Aggies will play against teams from the state of Utah this season with previous matchups against Utah, BYU and UVU.
