A historic weekend for GCU soccer
Grand Canyon University’s women’s soccer team is gearing up for a pivotal home weekend that will pit two unbeaten opponents against the Lopes. Both Buffalo and Texas arrive unbeaten at 2‑0, having posted clean sheets in their first matches, and the upcoming fixtures mark the first-ever meetings between those programs and GCU.
At the heart of the Lopes’ lineup, goalkeeper Emma Knack brings a D‑1 single‑season save record of 119 and led the Mountain West in single‑match saves last season, while forward Ellie Johannes, the team’s top returning scorer, has already netted twice in a 2‑0 exhibition win. Sabrina Guzman and Sophia Rubano also recorded their first collegiate goals in a 2‑0 victory over Arizona.
The roster also welcomes Hannah Smith and AJ Loera, both in their fifth year of eligibility, with Smith transitioning from a track‑and‑field relay record to the soccer field and Loera adding depth after a standout collegiate career; both have already featured in international competitions alongside Johannes and Caprice Chiuchiolo.
Mountain West ambitions
The Mountain West Championship will begin on Nov. 11 in Phoenix, where GCU will host the semifinals and finals, a stage that aligns with the team’s preseason projection of a fourth‑place finish in the coaches’ poll and follows a 8‑8‑2 record that marked the Lopes’ first losing season in four years.
For Buffalo, the match is a historic first, while Texas will meet GCU for the first time as well; Texas has also welcomed new head coach Margueritte Bates, a national champion who joined the program in the offseason and has already guided the team to wins over Houston Christian and Pittsburgh.