Five CU Stars Shine In Big 12 Preseason Coaches' Poll
August 03, 2026 | Soccer
Buffs picked to finish second in league race
BOULDER – The Big 12's head coaches voted five Colorado soccer standouts onto the conference's Preseason All-Conference Team, announced Monday. Under the spotlight are Hope Leyba, Faith Leyba, Caley Swierenga, Reagan Kotschau and Jace Holley.Â
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CU was the only school to have five selections on the 27-player list, with Hope Leyba being one of two players to receive a unanimous decision.Â
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Hope Leyba led the NCAA with a program-record 22 goals during the 2025 campaign, becoming the first player in Colorado soccer history to surpass the 20-goal mark. The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year finished with CU records with 45 points and six game-winning goals, ranking 10th nationally in shots per game. Leyba capped off the season ranked No. 2 in TopDrawerSoccer's Postseason Top 100 after earning First Team All-America honors.Â
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Faith Leyba anchored Colorado's back line, contributing offensively with four goals and four assists. Her final assist of the season was to her twin sister, Hope, for her CU record-breaking 18th goal. The senior started all 24 matches and logged 2,097 minutes, second-most on the team. She earned First Team All-Big 12, First Team All-Midwest Region, TDS Postseason Top 100 (No. 36), and Third Team All-America honors following the season.Â
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Swierenga became one of the nation's top playmaking defenders in her first season with the Buffaloes, starting all 24 matches and recording a career-high nine assists, the second-most in a single season in program history. Swierenga finished with 1,868 minutes and became the second CU player in history with multiple matches of 2+ assists. Her breakout campaign earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors.Â
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Kotschau enjoyed a career year with seven goals, six assists and a career-high 20 points while tying for eighth nationally with six game-winning goals. The senior delivered Colorado's NCAA Tournament first-round winner against Utah Valley and earned CSC Academic All-District and Big 12 All-Academic Team recognition.Â
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Holley followed up her All-Freshman campaign with a First Team All-Big 12 season after totaling career highs of 12 goals, six assists and 30 points. Her 30 points tied for the fourth-most in a single season in program history, while her 12 goals rank tied for third in CU history. Holley concluded the season, averaging 1.25 points per game with two game-winning goals under her belt, earning First Team All-Midwest Region honors.Â
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Buffs Slotted Second in Conference Preseason PollÂ
Colorado will open the 2026 Big 12 season picked 2nd in a poll of the conference's 16 head coaches on Thursday.Â
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The No. 2 selection marks the highest preseason ranking in program history. Colorado's previous best preseason projection in the Big 12 was third, achieved in 2004, 2007 and 2009.Â
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TCU was picked to win the 2026 Big 12 race, totaling 222 points with 13 first-place votes. Colorado had 187 points with one first-place vote. Kansas and West Virginia tied for third with 182 points, with the Mountaineers receiving a first-place vote. Texas Tech was fifth with 180 points, receiving one first-place vote.Â
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Colorado concluded the 2025 season with an overall record of 17-4-2 and an 8-1-2 record in conference play. The Buffs advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the third time in team history.Â
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The first opportunity to catch the Buffaloes will be Wednesday, Aug. 12, at 7 p.m., at Prentup Field in the Rocky Mountain showdown with Colorado State.Â
For more information on Colorado Soccer, please visit cubuffs.com/soccer. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffssoccer on Instagram, X, TikTok and Facebook.Â
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CU was the only school to have five selections on the 27-player list, with Hope Leyba being one of two players to receive a unanimous decision.Â
Â
Hope Leyba led the NCAA with a program-record 22 goals during the 2025 campaign, becoming the first player in Colorado soccer history to surpass the 20-goal mark. The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year finished with CU records with 45 points and six game-winning goals, ranking 10th nationally in shots per game. Leyba capped off the season ranked No. 2 in TopDrawerSoccer's Postseason Top 100 after earning First Team All-America honors.Â
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Faith Leyba anchored Colorado's back line, contributing offensively with four goals and four assists. Her final assist of the season was to her twin sister, Hope, for her CU record-breaking 18th goal. The senior started all 24 matches and logged 2,097 minutes, second-most on the team. She earned First Team All-Big 12, First Team All-Midwest Region, TDS Postseason Top 100 (No. 36), and Third Team All-America honors following the season.Â
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Swierenga became one of the nation's top playmaking defenders in her first season with the Buffaloes, starting all 24 matches and recording a career-high nine assists, the second-most in a single season in program history. Swierenga finished with 1,868 minutes and became the second CU player in history with multiple matches of 2+ assists. Her breakout campaign earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors.Â
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Kotschau enjoyed a career year with seven goals, six assists and a career-high 20 points while tying for eighth nationally with six game-winning goals. The senior delivered Colorado's NCAA Tournament first-round winner against Utah Valley and earned CSC Academic All-District and Big 12 All-Academic Team recognition.Â
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Holley followed up her All-Freshman campaign with a First Team All-Big 12 season after totaling career highs of 12 goals, six assists and 30 points. Her 30 points tied for the fourth-most in a single season in program history, while her 12 goals rank tied for third in CU history. Holley concluded the season, averaging 1.25 points per game with two game-winning goals under her belt, earning First Team All-Midwest Region honors.Â
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Buffs Slotted Second in Conference Preseason PollÂ
Colorado will open the 2026 Big 12 season picked 2nd in a poll of the conference's 16 head coaches on Thursday.Â
Â
The No. 2 selection marks the highest preseason ranking in program history. Colorado's previous best preseason projection in the Big 12 was third, achieved in 2004, 2007 and 2009.Â
Â
TCU was picked to win the 2026 Big 12 race, totaling 222 points with 13 first-place votes. Colorado had 187 points with one first-place vote. Kansas and West Virginia tied for third with 182 points, with the Mountaineers receiving a first-place vote. Texas Tech was fifth with 180 points, receiving one first-place vote.Â
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Colorado concluded the 2025 season with an overall record of 17-4-2 and an 8-1-2 record in conference play. The Buffs advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the third time in team history.Â
Â
The first opportunity to catch the Buffaloes will be Wednesday, Aug. 12, at 7 p.m., at Prentup Field in the Rocky Mountain showdown with Colorado State.Â
For more information on Colorado Soccer, please visit cubuffs.com/soccer. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffssoccer on Instagram, X, TikTok and Facebook.Â
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