POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State women's soccer earned four individual honors as the Big Sky Conference announced its 2026 All-Conference teams and postseason awards, highlighted by goalkeeper Aliya Garrett being named Big Sky Tri-Top Newcomer of the Year.
Garrett becomes just the fourth player in Idaho State program history to earn the conference's Top Newcomer of the Year distinction, sharing the 2026 honor with Brooklyn Jones of Northern Arizona and Thordis Melsted of Northern Colorado. The Bengals' four All-Conference selections are also the most for the program since 2014.
In addition to Garrett's individual honor, Saydree Cooke earned Second Team All-Conference recognition, while Gracie East and Amanda Brayton were selected as Honorable Mentions.
The four postseason selections cap a season filled with individual milestones, career firsts and record-book accomplishments for the Bengals, with several players establishing themselves among the conference's top performers.
Garrett Earns Tri-Top Newcomer of the Year
Garrett made an immediate impact in her first season with the Bengals, becoming the fourth player in program history to earn the Big Sky's Top Newcomer of the Year honor.
The goalkeeper appeared in 16 matches, making 15 starts and playing 1,279:28 minutes in net. Garrett recorded 63 saves, posted a .700 save percentage and finished the season with a 1.90 goals-against average.
Her six shutouts ranked tied for third in the Big Sky, with her sixth coming in Idaho State's 2-0 road victory at Portland State on Oct. 18. The performance helped the Bengals secure an important conference victory while also marking the 18th career win at Idaho State for Head Coach Dustin Downey.
Garrett followed the performance by earning Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 19, her second weekly award of the season. She also earned the conference's Defensive Player of the Week recognition earlier in the season, making her a two-time recipient in 2026.
Garrett's selection as Tri-Top Newcomer of the Year recognizes a standout debut season in the Big Sky and her impact between the posts for Idaho State.
Cooke Earns Second Team All-Conference Honors
Forward Saydree Cooke earned Second Team All-Conference recognition after leading the Bengals in offensive production throughout the season.
Cooke finished the year with 10 points on three goals and four assists, leading Idaho State in all three categories. She also paced the Bengals with 40 shots and 11 shots on goal while appearing in all 18 matches, including 17 starts.
Her offensive production earned her Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week recognition on Sept. 1 after recording two goals and one assist during Idaho State's matchups against UNLV and Boise State.
Cooke's four assists ranked tied for sixth in the Big Sky, while her 0.222 assists per game ranked tied for seventh. She also finished tied for seventh in the conference in total shots with 40 and seventh in shots per game at 2.22.
The season also marked another significant chapter in Cooke's career at Idaho State, as she continued climbing the program's all-time statistical leaderboards.
Cooke recorded her 12th career assist during the Bengals' 1-0 victory at Portland State on Oct. 18, moving into a tie for sixth in program history alongside Bengal legend Maria Sanchez. She currently ranks eighth in program history in career assists per game, averaging 0.214.
Cooke also moved into a tie for eighth on Idaho State's all-time shots leaderboard with 131 career attempts, matching Rachel Strawn (2009-12) after recording two shots at Weber State. Additionally, her 47 career shots on goal rank 10th in program history, while her 32 career points are tied for 11th alongside Brooke Pollard-Roberts (1998-01) and Ashley Jones (2009-11).
East and Brayton Earn Honorable Mention
Defender Gracie East and midfielder Amanda Brayton each earned Big Sky All-Conference Honorable Mention recognition after playing important roles for the Bengals throughout the season.
East started all 17 matches in which she appeared, logging 1,407 minutes on the field. She contributed three points with one goal and one assist, while recording 12 shots and four shots on goal. East also scored against UNLV on Aug. 27, finishing the match with three points.
Brayton likewise started all 17 matches she played, recording 1,356 minutes. The midfielder finished the season with three points on one goal and one assist, adding 14 shots and four shots on goal. Brayton delivered one of her most productive performances against Northern Arizona on Oct. 29, recording her first career goal and adding an assist for three points.
Both players provided consistency and experience to the Bengal lineup, earning recognition among the conference's top performers.
