Three WAC teams emerged from the first week of the 2022 nonconference season unbeaten, as Utah Valley and UTRGV both staked claim to the top spot in the standings with matching 1-0-1 records. UNLV was the third conference unbeaten following a scoreless draw in its season debut.

 

Reigning WAC tournament champion Seattle U raced out of the gates in the new season with an impressive 3-1 win at No. 4 Notre Dame on Aug. 25. Declan McGlynn captured the conference’s first offensive player of the week citation in 2022 with a brace against the Irish, tallying goals in the 50th and 65th minutes for the Redhawks.

 

UNLV registered its first result against a national top-25 foe since 2017 by drawing No. 22 Santa Clara 0-0 on Aug. 25 in the debut of Rebels head coach BJ Craig. UNLV limited Santa Clara to just two shots on goal during the match, leading defender Louis Hiepen to being named conference defensive player of the week. Utah Valley likewise held No. 5 Oregon State to just two attempts on frame in a scoreless battle on Aug. 29.

 

As of the most recent NCAA DI national statistics report on Aug. 28, UNLV and Utah Valley were two of 36 teams in the country yet to allow a goal during nonconference play.

 

Three different players from the WAC shared the national lead in penalty kick conversions following the opening week of the 2022 season. Along with Declan McGlynn’s successful try from the spot in the win at No. 4 Notre Dame, UTRGV’s Jan Engels scored the final goal of a 3-1 win against Bryant and California Baptist’s Luis Muller scored the match-winning goal in a 3-1 decision versus St. Thomas (Minn.) on Aug. 25.

 

Ranked matchups on the week two docket for WAC men’s soccer include UNLV at No. 24 Loyola Marymount on Sept. 1, Air Force at No. 25 Missouri State and Utah Valley at No. 8 Washington on Sept. 2, San José State at No. 3 Stanford on Sept. 4 and Grand Canyon at No. 4 UCLA on Sept. 5. Other key matches on tap feature Seattle U at Louisville (Sept. 2) and UTRGV at SMU (Sept. 5).