July 6, 2026
WPSL 2026, Black Diamond FC (photo by Uriel Bento)
By Nichole Singleton, WPSL Communications
Gratitude.
That is the overwhelming feeling Black Diamond FC General Manager Gabi Chang is overcome with after finishing the 2026 season with the team's first Wasatch Division title on a 7-0-1 record while outscoring opponents 24 to four.
While the stat line and the win column display the success of the Black Diamond FC produced over eight games this year, for Chang, the Salt Lake City side has achieved much more that goes beyond the numbers.
“From day one, our goal wasn't just to win games, it was to create an environment where players genuinely looked forward to coming to training every day while maintaining a highly competitive culture where every roster spot had to be earned,” Chang said.
Under a new identity to start the 2026 season, Black Diamond FC built a squad with a small core of returning players and a fast-adapting newcomers who quickly bought into the established standards and team-first mentality.
“Once that culture was established, everything else started to fall into place,” Chang said. “The success we had this summer was really a reflection of the commitment, professionalism, and togetherness our players demonstrated every single day.”
That success started early as Black Diamond FC earned a big six points off its first two wins in two games, and while four goals were scored, it was the Black Diamond defense that set the stages for what would come the rest of the season.
The Black Diamond FC defense only allowed four goals over its eight-game schedule, recording five shutouts. The dominance didn’t go unnoticed. Black Diamond had three different players earn National Defensive Player of the Week honors this season: Hannah Roe of Georgia State, Brooklyn Bradley of Southern Utah University, and Brooke Gardner of the University of Utah.
While opponents had difficulty breaking the Black Diamond down defensively, Chang and his staff knew they needed to prioritize the other side of the ball after falling to La Roca in Week Four, the team’s only blemish.
“Following that loss, I made a conscious decision to dedicate a significant portion of our training sessions to attacking play,” Chang said. “Nearly three-quarters of our work during the second half of the season focused on chance creation, movement in the final third, and finishing in front of goal.”
The adjustment paid off. Chang noticed that the confidence shift in the matches after players started to see the ball hit the back of the net consistently during training.
“Early in the season, there was some hesitation to pull the trigger in front of goal,” Chang said. “As their confidence increased, so did their willingness to shoot.”
That willingness was rewarded in a significant way. Following the loss to La Roca, Black Diamond went out the five remaining games on its schedule, producing 19 goals,averaging 3.8 goals per game. That’s a massive improvement from its five goals scored in its first three matches while only averaging 1.67 goals per game.
“Scoring 19 goals over our final five games wasn't an accident. It was the result of the players' commitment, hard work, and willingness to improve every day,” Chang said. “Watching that preparation translate into success on the field was one of the most rewarding parts of our season.”
The other rewarding parts of 2026 for Chang came through his coaching staff who returned this summer in its entirety and the support the team received over the season from its fans.
“I'm incredibly thankful that my entire coaching staff returned this summer. They invest countless hours behind the scenes, and I truly hope we'll all be back together again next season,” Chang said.
“We also can't overlook the support from our fans. This summer we had our highest attendance since I've been coaching in the league, and you could genuinely feel the energy they brought to every home match. That support helped create an incredible atmosphere for our players. Seeing everyone celebrate together after winning the division made all the hard work worthwhile.”
