Ava de Leest, a sophomore who guards the net for Boise State, has been selected among the 20 goalkeepers the United Soccer Coaches deem worthy of attention as the 2026 season approaches.
A Rising Star
She stands out as the sole representative from the Pac‑12 on the list and joins two other sophomores, a testament to her rapid rise since her freshman year.
During that debut campaign she collected a suite of accolades, including Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, earned a spot on the United Soccer Coaches All‑Pacific Region Second Team, and was recognized three times as Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week and twice as Freshman of the Week.
Her numbers were equally compelling: she started 20 of the 21 games she appeared in, posted a 0.931 goals‑against average that ranked third in the conference and a 0.771 save percentage that placed her sixth, and recorded six shutouts, the third‑most in Mountain West history for a freshman.
The upcoming 2025 campaign will open on August 12, when Boise State hosts CSUN at the Boas Soccer Complex at 7 p.m. MT. The match will mark the first chance for fans to see de Leest in action as she looks to build on a breakout year.