Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Four Buffs Honored as Preseason All-Big 12
August 05, 2025 | Soccer
Colorado was also picked sixth in the preseason Big 12 poll
BOULDER – Coaches from across the Big 12 Conference selected a quarter of Colorado soccer stars to the league's Preseason All-Conference team on Tuesday. Senior goalkeeper Jordan Nytes headlined the selections along with juniors Faith Leyba, Ava Priest and Hope Leyba.
Colorado was one of four schools to have four or more selections on the 27-player list. BYU and Texas Tech led the way with five selections. TCU also had four honorees.
Nytes, the reigning Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Year, was a Third Team United Soccer Coaches All-American in 2024. The Grandview H.S. graduate was in net for all 11 of Colorado's shutouts last season, finishing second in the Big 12 and sixth in the NCAA. Her 11 clean sheets tied for the second-most in a season by a CU keeper. Nytes took home five Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week awards in 2024, becoming the most honored goalkeeper in a season since the award's inception in 2020. Nytes also ranked second in the Big 12 in saves (101) and save % (.821).
Faith Leyba, a First Team All-Big 12 selection in 2024, started all 22 matches for the Buffs and led all CU field players in minutes with 1,896. She was a key contributor along the Buffs' backline, helping the team to 11 shutouts. Leyba handed out two assists last season and played the full 90 minutes in 16 matches. She closed 2024 as a First Team United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region selection.
Priest, also a First Team United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region pick in 2024, scored a career-high six goals last season. She recorded three game-winners for CU, including the clinching goal over Utah in the first round of the Big 12 Championship. Priest started all 22 matches as a sophomore and handed out five assists. She closed the season with a five-match points streak and scored goals in both CU's NCAA Tournament matches.
Hope Leyba led the Buffs last year with a career-high eight goals. She finished 11th in the conference in goals and totaled a team-leading 18 points (8 G, 2 A). Leyba started 21 and played in all 22 matches, finishing fourth in the Big 12 last season in shot accuracy (.529) and fifth in shots on goal per game (1.64). She scored in three of CU's final four matches, including a 55th-minute goal that tied the Buffs' first-round NCAA Tournament contest at Georgia.
Buffs Picked Sixth in Preseason Poll
Colorado will open the 2025 Big 12 season picked sixth in a poll of the conference's 16 head coaches on Tuesday.
All seven of the Big 12 NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago make up the top seven conference projections. TCU received 13 of the league's first-place votes and 223 total points. Texas Tech (2) and BYU (1) also received first-place votes. West Virginia was slotted 4th with Kansas, Colorado and Oklahoma State rounding out the top seven.
CU finished last season 12-5-5 overall and 4-2-5 in the Big 12. The Buffaloes were the No. 9 seed in the Big 12 Championship and defeated Utah in the first round, solidifying their spot in the NCAA Tournament field.
The first chance to catch the Buffaloes in action will be on Aug. 7, when they take on Colorado College (7 p.m.) in exhibition play. Seven days later, Colorado will get the regular season underway at home against Michigan State.
For more information on Colorado Soccer, please visit cubuffs.com/soccer. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffssoccer on Instagram, X, TikTok and Facebook.
Colorado was one of four schools to have four or more selections on the 27-player list. BYU and Texas Tech led the way with five selections. TCU also had four honorees.
Nytes, the reigning Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Year, was a Third Team United Soccer Coaches All-American in 2024. The Grandview H.S. graduate was in net for all 11 of Colorado's shutouts last season, finishing second in the Big 12 and sixth in the NCAA. Her 11 clean sheets tied for the second-most in a season by a CU keeper. Nytes took home five Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week awards in 2024, becoming the most honored goalkeeper in a season since the award's inception in 2020. Nytes also ranked second in the Big 12 in saves (101) and save % (.821).
Faith Leyba, a First Team All-Big 12 selection in 2024, started all 22 matches for the Buffs and led all CU field players in minutes with 1,896. She was a key contributor along the Buffs' backline, helping the team to 11 shutouts. Leyba handed out two assists last season and played the full 90 minutes in 16 matches. She closed 2024 as a First Team United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region selection.
Priest, also a First Team United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region pick in 2024, scored a career-high six goals last season. She recorded three game-winners for CU, including the clinching goal over Utah in the first round of the Big 12 Championship. Priest started all 22 matches as a sophomore and handed out five assists. She closed the season with a five-match points streak and scored goals in both CU's NCAA Tournament matches.
Hope Leyba led the Buffs last year with a career-high eight goals. She finished 11th in the conference in goals and totaled a team-leading 18 points (8 G, 2 A). Leyba started 21 and played in all 22 matches, finishing fourth in the Big 12 last season in shot accuracy (.529) and fifth in shots on goal per game (1.64). She scored in three of CU's final four matches, including a 55th-minute goal that tied the Buffs' first-round NCAA Tournament contest at Georgia.
Buffs Picked Sixth in Preseason Poll
Colorado will open the 2025 Big 12 season picked sixth in a poll of the conference's 16 head coaches on Tuesday.
All seven of the Big 12 NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago make up the top seven conference projections. TCU received 13 of the league's first-place votes and 223 total points. Texas Tech (2) and BYU (1) also received first-place votes. West Virginia was slotted 4th with Kansas, Colorado and Oklahoma State rounding out the top seven.
CU finished last season 12-5-5 overall and 4-2-5 in the Big 12. The Buffaloes were the No. 9 seed in the Big 12 Championship and defeated Utah in the first round, solidifying their spot in the NCAA Tournament field.
The first chance to catch the Buffaloes in action will be on Aug. 7, when they take on Colorado College (7 p.m.) in exhibition play. Seven days later, Colorado will get the regular season underway at home against Michigan State.
For more information on Colorado Soccer, please visit cubuffs.com/soccer. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffssoccer on Instagram, X, TikTok and Facebook.
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