SAN FRANCISCO – The Washington State University women's soccer team is slated to make 10 television appearances in 2016, the Pac-12 Conference and Pac-12 Network announced Wednesday with the release of the upcoming soccer season schedule.
The Cougars' 10 televised matches include seven home matches at WSU's Lower Soccer Field and three televised matches away from the Palouse. In total, Washington State will play 12 games at home and seven games on the road. Seven of the Cougars' 2016 opponents appeared in the NCAA postseason last year. No WSU weekday home match will begin earlier than 5 p.m. to better accommodate students' and local residents' schedules.
"We're very excited about our schedule for the 2016 season," WSU Head Coach Todd Shulenberger said. "We have a challenging nonconference schedule that will help us get prepared for another exciting season in the premiere soccer conference of the Pac-12."
Of Washington State's nine nonconference matches, only two will be played away from Pullman. The Cougars will begin their 2016 season with a two-game homestand against a pair of regular postseason participants. WSU welcomes the BYU Cougars, Friday, Aug. 19, to Lower Soccer Field in a televised matchup at 7 p.m. The schools most recently met in 2014 when WSU traveled to Provo, Utah and tied No. 17 BYU, 0-0.
In the second game of the season, the Cougars welcome Santa Clara, Thursday, Aug. 25, for a 7 p.m. matchup with coverage on the Pac-12 Network. The Broncos have never lost to WSU in eight meetings, but have only traveled to Pullman three times in the series history. The sides last met in Santa Clara in 2012, with the Broncos securing a 3-0 win.
WSU will take its first road trip of the season, traveling north to face regional rival Gonzaga at 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 28. The Cougars will look to build on an eight-matching winning streak against the Bulldogs before returning to Pullman to face Montana the following weekend.
The Griz travel to Pullman to face WSU, Friday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. Montana will be looking for revenge after the Cougars escaped Missoula with a 1-0 overtime victory last season when Kailiana Johnson converted a penalty in the waning moments of overtime. Following its rematch with Montana, Washington State will welcome North Dakota State to the Palouse, Sunday. Sept. 4. The Cougars and Bison have never met in the sport of women's soccer and will begin their series history with a 7 p.m. kickoff at Lower Soccer Field.
Washington State will take its only nonconference trip out of the state Friday, Sept. 9 to face the TCU Horned Frogs in Fort Worth, Texas. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT/7 p.m. CT. The Cougars will travel to TCU for the first time in program history, after the Horned Frogs traveled to Pullman to open the 2014 season.
The Cougars conclude their nonconference schedule with a two-game weekend, beginning Thursday, Sept. 15. Seattle University travels to Pullman for a 5 p.m. kickoff at Lower Soccer Field. The match will mark the fourth consecutive season the Cougars and Redhawks have met, with WSU holding a 3-1-0 record over that stretch. Sunday, Sept. 18 the Cougars will face Boise State in Pullman. The match will be televised on the Pac-12 Network with kickoff slated for 1 p.m.
WSU opens the 2016 Pac-12 Conference season with a Friday night home match against Colorado, Sept. 23. The Cougars have not lost to the Buffs in the last five meetings and look to continue the streak with a 5 p.m. kickoff and coverage on the Pac-12 Network.
After going undefeated on the road in conference play last season, the Cougars begin their 2016 Pac-12 road campaign with a Thursday night matchup against Stanford, Sept. 29. Last season, then-No. 4 Cardinal escaped Pullman with a 2-1 double-overtime win in the 109th minute of play. WSU will seek to even the series at 2-2 in the last four seasons with a 7 p.m. kickoff on Pac-12 Network in Stanford, Calif.
The Cougars will complete their Bay Area road swing with a Sunday morning match against California on the Pac-12 Network. The last time WSU played in Berkeley, freshman Chelsea Harkins scored her first-career goal, as WSU beat the No. 9 Golden Bears. The win extended the Cougars' unbeaten streak to a school-record 15 matches and marked the program's first road win against a Top 10 team. This season's rematch between WSU and Cal is slated for 11 a.m. in Berkeley, Calif.
Washington State returns home to welcome the Arizona schools, Thursday, Oct. 6. The visiting Arizona Wildcats travel to Pullman for the third-consecutive season with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. The Cougars will face Arizona State, Sunday, Oct. 9 with an 11 a.m. matchup on the Pac-12 Network.
The Utah Utes will welcome WSU to Salt Lake City for a third-straight season. The Cougars and Utes are scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT, Friday, Oct. 14, as WSU seeks its third-straight win over Utah. The Cougars will continue their road swing in Los Angeles. This season marks the first time since 2013 the Cougars have traveled to Los Angeles. Washington State will face USC at 2 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 20 on the Pac-12 Network, before heading across the city to face UCLA, Sunday, Oct. 23 at 1 p.m.
The Cougars will conclude their 2016 regular season with three-straight home matches. Oregon State travels to Pullman to face the Cougars at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27 with coverage on the Pac-12 Network. Sunday, Oct. 30 the Oregon Ducks arrive at Lower Soccer Field for a 1 p.m. kickoff. WSU has swept the Oregon schools in each of the last two seasons.
A large crowd is expected to be on-hand for WSU's final match of the regular season against Washington, Thursday, Nov. 3, as Washington State University hosts Dad's Weekend, including a football game against Arizona State, Saturday, Nov. 5. The WSU soccer team will honor its seniors before attempting to extend its unbeaten streak against the Huskies to 14 seasons.
For a PDF of the Cougars' 2016 schedule, as well as promotional schedule, please visit www.wsucougars.com.