The BYU men’s soccer team competed in the NIRSA National Championship from Nov. 20–22, playing six total games — two each day. Finishing the weekend undefeated, the Cougars secured their sixth consecutive national title, marking the 13th championship in program history.
“Preparing for nationals, with six games in three days, we always talk about embracing the fatigue. We say the team that wants to run the most will win the tournament," said team captain Ammon Oyler. "So, I think the guys were just ready to put it all on the line for their teammates and do what it takes to win."
The first two games took place on Nov. 20, with the opening match against New Hampshire at 8 a.m. CST and the second against Colorado at 1:15 p.m. CST.
The Cougars opened strong with a 2–0 win over New Hampshire, as Dylan Rodriguez set up Aaron Jolley for a goal in the 23rd minute. Later, Brayden Gonder found the back of the net after an assist from Kyle Walbruch, securing the victory. Despite a short turnaround between matches, BYU held Colorado to a 1–1 draw, keeping its undefeated run alive.
After advancing to the round of 16, the Cougars opened the second day of championship weekend against Virginia Tech. The match remained scoreless at halftime until James Dunning broke through in the 58th minute, lifting BYU to a 1–0 victory.
The second and final game on Nov. 21 came against Arkansas. Senior Max Magleby put BYU on the board first, giving the Cougars a 1–0 lead. James Dunning then doubled the advantage with a goal off a free kick, securing a 2–0 win and sending BYU into the semifinals.
The semifinal matchup pitted BYU against Boston College. Senior captain Ryan Tetro put the Cougars on the board first, giving them an early advantage. Alex Fankhauser extended the lead to 2–0 by halftime. Boston College pressed harder in the second half and managed to score once, but BYU held firm to secure a 2–1 victory and a spot in the national championship match.
Now it was time for the matchup of the season: BYU vs UCLA. Before the game even started, a section of the bleachers was filled with students who wanted to see a downfall of BYU that would never come. Boos were heard every time a foul was called in favor for BYU and chants made up for certain players once they entered the field.
“We come into nationals every year prepared for all the chatter. We try to prep all the new guys and let them know what’s coming, but at the end of the day, it’s something that can be kind of exciting,” said Oyler. “It’s fun to have that us-against-the-world mentality, and nationals is a time when the team really comes together and bonds in a way that is special because of that. So as far as individual chants, I think just remembering why we’re there, who we represent, and going out and playing for each other helps us put that all aside.”
BYU GOAL SCORED IN THE 62' BY ETHAN CHRISTENSEN
— BYU Men’s Soccer (@byusoccer) November 22, 2025
BYU 1-0 UCLA
62'
Despite the negative comments, Cougar fans could be heard cheering throughout the match. The game was filled with back-and-forth shots and game sets the first half of the match. It wasn’t until the second half a winner was crowned. Aaron Jolley made a clean pass forward to BYU freshman transfer Ethan Christensen.
“Playing in the final for the national championship was one of the coolest and most stressful moments of my life,” said Christensen. “When Jolley played that pass into me, I knew I had to score. It was the best chance we had all game and UCLA was playing super good and had great chances on goal."
With the win in sight, Christensen breezed past the defense for UCLA and made the game winning shot, scoring the one and only goal of the match which gave BYU its 13th championship title.
An undefeated 2025 pic.twitter.com/4y2i3WQ85Z
— BYU Men’s Soccer (@byusoccer) November 25, 2025
BYU has had a strong season with 21 wins and five draws and 17 of its players scoring at least one goal. After the final game, multiple players on the team were honored by the tournament.
“It’s a cool think to have a few guys recognized on the tournament team. It just shows the work we’ve all put in individually and as a group," Oyler said. "Guys know their roles and bought into that for this tournament and that’s what helped us be able to have success, so really, I see that as a collective achievement for all of us.”
Brayden Gonder was named player of the tournament and Oyler, Max Magleby, Aaron Jolley and Dylan Rodriguez were named apart of the all-tournament team.