Quick Kicks: Wisconsin welcomes No. 9 BYU

MADISON, Wis. - Women's soccer will host No. 9 BYU in their second home match of the 2026 season on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m. at McClimon Soccer Complex.

Here are five things to know before the Badgers face off against the Cougars:

1. A History with BYU

Wisconsin and BYU have faced each other just three times in program history. This will be the second time BYU has played at McClimon.

The last match up between the two came in the 2024 season where the Cougars bested the Badgers 1-0 in Utah.

2. Know the Cougars

BYU enters the 2026 season after winning the 2025 Big 12 Tournament championship and advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. The Cougars finished last season 11-7-6 and were picked sixth in the 2026 Big 12 preseason poll.

The Cougars return Ellie Walbruch, who led the team with 16 goals last season. Walbruch scored a tournament-high five goals during BYU's Big 12 championship run and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Offensive Player. She also earned United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-America honors.

Also returning for BYU are Lucy Kesler and Presley Freeman. Kesler started 22 games in 2025, recording two goals and three assists while earning First Team All-Big 12, First Team All-Midwest Region and Third Team All-America honors.

3. Back for More

Wisconsin returns plenty of veteran presence this season, with Drew Stover, Erin Connolly, Kiara Gilmore and Hailey Baumann leading the charge. All four have been named to the 2026 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.

Stover returns in goal after earning Third Team All-Big Ten honors a season ago. She started and played all 22 games, totaling a team-high 1,980 minutes while recording 10 shutouts, including four consecutive shutouts from Oct. 4 through Oct. 16. Stover also faced a career-high 18 shots at Penn State, allowing just one goal to help the Badgers secure a 2-1 victory on Sept. 21. She finished the season with 65 saves and a .765 save percentage.

The Badgers also return a strong backline led by Kiara Gilmore and Hailey Baumann. Gilmore earned Big Ten All-Freshman Team, United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Team and TopDrawerSoccer Freshman Best XI Second Team honors after starting 21 games and totaling 1,801 minutes. She recorded four assists and six shots, including four on goal. Baumann returns after earning First Team All-Big Ten, United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-North Region and CSC Academic All-District honors. She was also ranked No. 74 in TopDrawerSoccer's Women's National Top 100 Postseason Rankings. Baumann scored against Marquette on Aug. 24 and added three assists while totaling 1,947 minutes after starting all 22 games.

Connolly returns as the Badgers' leading goal scorer after earning First Team All-Big Ten and United Soccer Coaches All-North Region honors. She started all 22 matches and played 1,855 minutes, leading Wisconsin with nine goals while recording 36 shots.

4. Last Time Out

Wisconsin opened the 2026 season with a 1-0 loss to No. 6 TCU at McClimon Soccer Complex. The Badgers controlled much of the match, outshooting the Horned Frogs 13-2 and holding a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks. TCU broke the scoreless tie off a corner kick in the 78th minute to secure the win.

5. Follow the Badgers

Stay connected with Wisconsin women's soccer throughout the 2026 season by following the Badgers on Instagram and X at @BadgerWSoccer and on Facebook at Wisconsin Women's Soccer. Fans can also visit UWBadgers.com for the latest news, schedules, results, statistics and more.