Monday, November 9
Mansfield, Texas
10:30 a.m.
Colorado
vs
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Kansas
November 08, 2026 | Soccer
BOULDER — The No. 18 Colorado Buffaloes soccer team opens the Big 12 Tournament against a familiar opponent Monday, Nov. 9, facing No. 18 Kansas at Texas Health Mansfield Stadium in Mansfield, Texas. Kickoff is set for 10:30 a.m. MT on ESPN+.
The fourth-seeded Buffs (14-4-1, 8-3-0 Big 12) enter the postseason riding five consecutive wins, outscoring opponents 15-2 during that stretch and closing the regular season with four straight shutouts. Fifth-seeded Kansas (13-4-2, 7-2-2 Big 12) finished one point behind Colorado in the conference standings.
Monday offers Colorado another opportunity against the last team to beat it. Kansas defeated the Buffs 1-0 at Prentup Field on Oct. 11, with Marit McLaughlin scoring in the 84th minute. CU responded by sweeping a three-match road trip before returning home for wins over Cincinnati and Oklahoma State.
The matchup also brings the teams together in the Big 12 Tournament for the second consecutive season. Kansas won last year's semifinal 2-1, overcoming a first-half goal from Faith Leyba.
Creating quality chances will be central to the rematch after Colorado put three of its 13 shots on target in the October meeting.
"Kansas plays a style that it's tough to find a rhythm in, and credit to them, they found the goal," head coach Danny Sanchez said after that match.
The Jayhawks arrive in Mansfield following a 3-2 victory over then-No. 7 Texas Tech on Thursday. Kate Langfelder supplied the deciding goal after the Red Raiders twice erased a one-goal deficit.
Jillian Gregorski leads Kansas with eight goals and four game-winners, while Caroline Castans has a team-high 18 points on six goals and six assists. Livvy Moore has supplied 12 assists, giving the Jayhawks another productive creator to account for. McLaughlin, who scored the winner in Boulder, has five goals.
Kansas has outscored opponents 36-16 and recorded nine team shutouts. Goalkeeper Sophie Dawe has started all 19 matches, posting a 0.84 goals-against average with eight solo shutouts and one shared shutout. The Jayhawks allow 6.7 shots per match, putting a premium on Colorado making the most of its opportunities.
BUFFS BRING MOMENTUM TO MANSFIELD
Colorado's attack enters the tournament coming off a 5-0 win over Oklahoma State in which five different players scored. The Buffs have 46 goals through 19 matches, with Reagan Kotschau and Hope Leyba sharing the team lead at 10 apiece and Michaela McGowan adding seven.
Kotschau's goal and two assists in the finale made her the first player in program history to reach double figures in goals and assists in the same season. Her first assist broke the previous CU single-season record of 10, shared by Taylor Kornieck, Shanade Hopcroft and Emerson Layne. Her second extended the mark to 12, and she enters Monday with a team-leading 32 points.
"She was fantastic tonight, and she's been great all year," Sanchez said of Kotschau after the Oklahoma State win. "I think she still has even more in her."
Freshman Sloane Phillips also finished the regular season with a goal and two assists against the Cowgirls. Her seven assists tied the Colorado freshman record held by Kate Russell and Emily Groark, putting her one away from sole possession of the mark as she prepares for her first conference tournament.
Hope Leyba has a chance to move up another career list Monday. Her 42 goals tie Nikki Marshall for second in CU history, five behind Shyra James' school record. One more would give Leyba sole possession of second.
The Buffs have paired that scoring depth with 12 team shutouts and a 0.74 goals-against average. Freshman Brooke Goerish has contributed to all 12 clean sheets, recording seven solo shutouts and sharing five. She and Jamie Campbell combined to keep Oklahoma State off the scoreboard Thursday, with Campbell making five saves in the second half.
Faith has contributed at both ends during the late-season run, scoring three times in the last four matches while helping the defense hold Arizona, Arizona State, Cincinnati and Oklahoma State scoreless.
Monday's winner advances to face either top-seeded BYU or eighth-seeded West Virginia in Wednesday's semifinal at 3:30 p.m. MT. The championship match is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. MT. All tournament matches will stream on ESPN+.
Tickets for Monday's opening session, which includes Colorado-Kansas and BYU-West Virginia, are available here.
SOCIALS: For more information on Colorado Soccer, please visit cubuffs.com/soccer. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffssoccer on Instagram, X, TikTok and Facebook.
The fourth-seeded Buffs (14-4-1, 8-3-0 Big 12) enter the postseason riding five consecutive wins, outscoring opponents 15-2 during that stretch and closing the regular season with four straight shutouts. Fifth-seeded Kansas (13-4-2, 7-2-2 Big 12) finished one point behind Colorado in the conference standings.
Monday offers Colorado another opportunity against the last team to beat it. Kansas defeated the Buffs 1-0 at Prentup Field on Oct. 11, with Marit McLaughlin scoring in the 84th minute. CU responded by sweeping a three-match road trip before returning home for wins over Cincinnati and Oklahoma State.
The matchup also brings the teams together in the Big 12 Tournament for the second consecutive season. Kansas won last year's semifinal 2-1, overcoming a first-half goal from Faith Leyba.
Creating quality chances will be central to the rematch after Colorado put three of its 13 shots on target in the October meeting.
"Kansas plays a style that it's tough to find a rhythm in, and credit to them, they found the goal," head coach Danny Sanchez said after that match.
The Jayhawks arrive in Mansfield following a 3-2 victory over then-No. 7 Texas Tech on Thursday. Kate Langfelder supplied the deciding goal after the Red Raiders twice erased a one-goal deficit.
Jillian Gregorski leads Kansas with eight goals and four game-winners, while Caroline Castans has a team-high 18 points on six goals and six assists. Livvy Moore has supplied 12 assists, giving the Jayhawks another productive creator to account for. McLaughlin, who scored the winner in Boulder, has five goals.
Kansas has outscored opponents 36-16 and recorded nine team shutouts. Goalkeeper Sophie Dawe has started all 19 matches, posting a 0.84 goals-against average with eight solo shutouts and one shared shutout. The Jayhawks allow 6.7 shots per match, putting a premium on Colorado making the most of its opportunities.
BUFFS BRING MOMENTUM TO MANSFIELD
Colorado's attack enters the tournament coming off a 5-0 win over Oklahoma State in which five different players scored. The Buffs have 46 goals through 19 matches, with Reagan Kotschau and Hope Leyba sharing the team lead at 10 apiece and Michaela McGowan adding seven.
Kotschau's goal and two assists in the finale made her the first player in program history to reach double figures in goals and assists in the same season. Her first assist broke the previous CU single-season record of 10, shared by Taylor Kornieck, Shanade Hopcroft and Emerson Layne. Her second extended the mark to 12, and she enters Monday with a team-leading 32 points.
"She was fantastic tonight, and she's been great all year," Sanchez said of Kotschau after the Oklahoma State win. "I think she still has even more in her."
Freshman Sloane Phillips also finished the regular season with a goal and two assists against the Cowgirls. Her seven assists tied the Colorado freshman record held by Kate Russell and Emily Groark, putting her one away from sole possession of the mark as she prepares for her first conference tournament.
Hope Leyba has a chance to move up another career list Monday. Her 42 goals tie Nikki Marshall for second in CU history, five behind Shyra James' school record. One more would give Leyba sole possession of second.
The Buffs have paired that scoring depth with 12 team shutouts and a 0.74 goals-against average. Freshman Brooke Goerish has contributed to all 12 clean sheets, recording seven solo shutouts and sharing five. She and Jamie Campbell combined to keep Oklahoma State off the scoreboard Thursday, with Campbell making five saves in the second half.
Faith has contributed at both ends during the late-season run, scoring three times in the last four matches while helping the defense hold Arizona, Arizona State, Cincinnati and Oklahoma State scoreless.
Monday's winner advances to face either top-seeded BYU or eighth-seeded West Virginia in Wednesday's semifinal at 3:30 p.m. MT. The championship match is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. MT. All tournament matches will stream on ESPN+.
Tickets for Monday's opening session, which includes Colorado-Kansas and BYU-West Virginia, are available here.
SOCIALS: 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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