BOULDER, Colo. — Hope and Faith are often words associated with belief and possibility. For the University of Colorado women's soccer team, they're also the names of twin sisters making an impact on the pitch.
Denver7 previously shared the story behind Hope and Faith Leyba twin girls born at just 27 weeks and had a very little chance of survival. Hope Leyba said their parents prayed every day, and made a promise that if the girls survived, they would be named Hope and Faith.
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For as long as they can remember, Hope and Faith Leyba have played soccer together. Today, they're still teammates for the Buffs, bringing their twin connection to opposite ends of the field with Hope as a forward and Faith as a defender.
"Our parents kind of made us play a sport and we went to this church and they had like a rec program and soccer was one of the sports. We kind of just picked that," Hope Leyba said.
The University of Colorado women's soccer team continues to raise the program's profile, reaching the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for just the third time in school history. Head coach Danny Sanchez has watched the Leyba twins grow alongside the program they now help represent.
"They don't come around very often, to be honest with you," said Sanchez. "We have a very committed group of young women here, but they're just built different. Hope and Faith are just built different. Their mentality, what they bring to training, what they bring the game every day. I've been doing this for a long time, and I can count on one hand the amount of players I’ve coached like them."
During a season dedicated to honoring the program's past, Hope Leyba is already carving out her place in its history. After breaking the school record for career hat tricks, Sanchez says this is only the beginning of what she can accomplish.
"People forget her freshman year, she had two goals but she was the same player. She worked the same work ethic, the same mentality every day her sophomore year eight and obviously last year breakout year and so far this year a really good year. I think her best soccer is still in front of her, she has such a mentality of wanting to get better and improve," Sanchez said.
As the twins continue to make their mark at CU, hope and faith remain at the center of everything they do.
"I love it every single day. This is the best place ever, and the fact that I get to play with Faith is even better. I'm so grateful for everything about this place," Hope Leyba said.
August 2026
September 2026
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November 2026
** game played at DICK's Sporting Goods Park
other home matches scheduled to be played at Centennial Stadium