OPENING KICKOFF: The Snow College women's soccer team will begin its 2025 season with a pair of home matchups, beginning with USC Lancaster Friday at 2:00 p.m.
 
The Badgers will then take on Community Christian College Monday at 12:00 p.m. Both games will take place at the Snow College Soccer Complex in Ephraim. The two games will serve as the only two home non-conference games for the Badgers this season.
 
BACK TO THE 'SHIP: Since the creation of the women's soccer program in 2016, the Badgers have played in the Region 18 Championship game each of those seasons, and 2024 was no different.
 
The Badgers began the season on a four-game winning streak before suffering their first loss of the season. From there, they finished the regular season without another loss. Snow College went 10-0-2 over the final 6 weeks of the season to enter the Region 18 Tournament as the No. 2 seed.
 
The Badgers disposed of North Idaho College in the first round with a 3-0 result, putting them back in the Region 18 Championship for the ninth straight season. Snow College suffered a 3-1 defeat against No. 6 Salt Lake Community College to finish as the tournament runner-up.
 
Snow College finished the season with a 15-2-2 overall record and an 11-1-2 mark within Scenic West Athletic Conference play. The Badgers finished with 15 wins for the first time since the 2021 season and just the third time in program history.
 
2024 BY THE NUMBERS: The Badgers scored a total of 83 goals – third most in program history –  for an average of 4.4 goals per game during the 2024 campaign. They scored four goals or more in nine of their 19 contests, including five matches scoring six goals or more. The Badgers recorded 65 assists on their 83 goals, also the third most in program history.
 
Defensively, Snow College surrendered just 14 to opponents while recording 11 shutouts, including a 3-0 victory against North Idaho College in the first round of the Region 18 Tournament.
 
TOP 10 IN THE POLLS: The Snow College women's soccer team has been ranked eighth in the NJCAA Division I Women's Soccer Preseason Poll. The Badgers finished in the same spot on the final poll of the 2024 season.
 
Snow College is coming off a season that saw it go 15-2-2 overall and 11-1-2 within Scenic West Athletic Conference Play. The Badgers finished the regular season in second place within the SWAC standings and entered the Region 18 tournament with a first-round matchup against North Idaho College.
 
The Badgers disposed of the Cardinals 3-0 before taking on the top-seeded No. 6 Salt Lake Community College Bruins in the Region 18 Title Game. Snow College suffered a 3-1 loss to finish as the runner-up.
 
Daytona State College claimed the top spot in the poll after winning the 2024 National Championship in a 2-1 overtime victory against Arizona Western College, which lands second in the poll.
 
Fellow SWAC foe SLCC is ranked third after losing in the semifinal matchup to AWC. Seminole State College and Navarro College round out the top five.
 
The Badgers, along with their two regular-season matches against the Bruins, will also take on AWC in their final non-conference game of the season Aug. 30. Snow College will also play a non-conference matchup against Cochise College, which was receiving votes in the preseason poll.
 
CAN YOU SMELL WHAT THE ROSTER IS COOKING: The 2025 team will return eight players from last season, including Bailee Ballard, who was selected to the All-Region 18 First Team for her efforts last season.
 
Ballard recorded the second-most goals of anyone on the 2024 team with 14, just four behind teammate and Region 18 Player of the Year Liv Harding. She dished six assists, also second most behind Harding, while appearing in all 19 games and 18 starts throughout the year.
 
Snow College will also welcome back Saige Meryhew, who was sidelined the entire 2024 season with an injury. Meryhew paced the 2023 Badgers with 11 goals and seven assists during the season, both of which were tops on the team, and good enough to land her All-Region First Team Honors.
 
Mirabel Shellabarger returns as a forward. Last season, she appeared in all 19 games for the Badgers and recorded four goals and an assist.
 
Madi Thurgood, Ellie Cook, and Emily Noorda come back for the Badgers at the midfield position. Thurgood recorded four goals and five assists while Cook netted three goals and four assists. Noorda provided three assists during the year.
 
Hadley Leonard and Brianna Kalista enter their second season to anchor down the Snow College defense. Both Leonard and Kalista scored a pair of goals during the 2024 season. Daisy Williams will return in goal for the Badgers.
 
In total, the roster will sport 11 sophomores, including one transfer student, and 16 incoming freshmen. 25 of 27 athletes come from Utah, while the other two join the Badgers from Idaho.
 
SCHEDULE ME THIS: The Badgers' season kicks off with a pair of home matches beginning August 22 against USC Lancaster. They will then face Community Christian College Monday before heading to Yuma, Arizona, for non-conference matchups against Cochise College and Arizona Western College Friday, Aug. 29, and Saturday, Aug. 30.
 
Snow College will begin Scenic West Athletic Conference play with a three-game home stand beginning Sept. 6 against Utah State University Eastern. The following weekend, the Badgers will host Colorado Northwestern Community College and Salt Lake Community College.
 
The Badgers will begin a month-long road swing beginning with Pacific Northwest Christian College Sept. 18 and culminating against SLCC Oct. 11. Snow College will wrap up the regular season with four games at home. The season finale will take place in Ephraim against Truckee Meadows Community College Oct. 25.
 
The Region 18 tournament, should the Badgers qualify, will take place between Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 and will be hosted by the SWAC women's soccer regular-season winner.
 
ON THE SIDELINE: Brock Ogami will enter his third season at the helm for the Badgers. Over his two full seasons, he has compiled a 24-8-3 overall record and an 18-5-3 mark within Scenic West Athletic Conference play. His teams have played in the Region 18 Title game during both seasons.
 
Ogami will be joined on the sideline by assistant coach Lewis Wilson, who is entering his first year with the school. Lewis, a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, will serve as the primary assistant coach for both the men's and women's soccer programs.
 
UP NEXT: The Badgers will head to Yuma, Arizona, for their final two non-conference matchups of the season and take on Cochise College and Arizona Western. They will take on Cochise Friday, Aug 29, at 3:00 p.m., followed by a matchup with the Matadors Saturday, Aug. 30, at 10:30 a.m. For video streaming and live stat information, visit snowbadgers.com.