PROVO — This has been a breakout year of sorts for the BYU soccer team, which is experiencing its best year in the Premier Development League. The team also participated in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the first time and plans to host the Coventry City Sky Blues in Provo on Tuesday.

The Cougars are currently 9-3-1 and in first place in the Northwest Division of the PDL. With three home games remaining against teams they have a combined 4-1 record against so far this season, the chances are good the Cougars will remain in first place and qualify for the PDL playoffs for the first time ever.

"Every season we've shown better results on the field, but also better players," said BYU coach Chris Watkins. "I'm comfortable with the progress we've made, but if we don't finish this year in the playoffs, that would be very disappointing. We have a good chance right now, we just need to keep it going."

The next week is huge for the BYU squad, which plays the Boulder Rapids Reserve on Friday, Colorado Springs on Saturday and then hosts Coventry City in an unprecedented game against a First Division team from England.

"Coventry City is a fantastic team," said Watkins. "I think if you asked any of our Real Salt Lake players, they'd much rather play for Coventry City. It's a big-time team."

Coventry City will travel to the U.S. to play the Portland Timbers Saturday and then BYU as part of their pre-season schedule. The Timbers are a United Soccer League First Division team, which is just a step below Major League Soccer in the American Soccer Pyramid.

Watkins added that the Coventry City game is somewhat "lost in the hubbub of Real Madrid coming (to play Real Salt Lake), but it doesn't change the fact that for a college team to host a team like Coventry City is unbelievable and unheard of. It's never happened before in all of college soccer. We certainly think we'll get 3,100 here, which is a sell-out for us."

The Sky Blues' are led by Stern John, a forward who competed in the World Cup for Trinidad and Tobago. John moved to the United States in 1995, when he joined the Columbus Crew of the MLS and became one of the most prolific scorers in league history. In 1998 he led the league with 26 goals and 57 points on his way to being named the MLS scoring champion.

John is also Trinidad and Tobago's all-time leading scorer with 65 goals. He signed with Coventry City in 2004.

Earlier in June, BYU had the opportunity to play in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the first time ever. It didn't turn out as the Cougars would have liked, as they dropped their first round game to the Arizona Sahuaros of the U.S. Amateur Soccer Association in Arizona 5-1.