Award Recognition
Azul Alvarez, the Baylor Bears’ standout goalkeeper, has been selected for the United Soccer Coaches’ 2026 Goalkeepers to Watch list, a preseason honor that highlights the nation’s most promising net‑minders.
The accolade follows a 2025 campaign in which Alvarez posted 12 shutouts, logged 2,082 minutes and recorded 97 saves, numbers that place her among the program’s single‑season leaders in both stops and duration.
Her .820 save percentage and ninth‑best save total in Baylor history underscore a season that helped the Bears capture the Big 12 semifinals and advance to the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 16.
Season Highlights
Alvarez’s consistency earned her two Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week awards and a spot on the All‑Big 12 First Team, while her performances contributed to Baylor’s 3‑0 victory over Kansas’ sophomore keeper Sophia Dawe in September.
The recognition also places Alvarez alongside Dawe, the Kansas goalkeeper, as one of only two Big 12 representatives on the watch list, a testament to the conference’s depth at the position.
Baylor will open the 2026 season with an exhibition match at SMU on August 8, followed by a regular‑season showdown against Arkansas on August 12, giving the senior net‑minder a chance to translate her preseason buzz into early‑season results.
The list, compiled by the Division I All‑America Committees, traditionally features returning All‑Americans and All‑Region selections, signaling that Alvarez is poised to be a key figure in the upcoming campaign.