WASHINGTON STATE vs SEATTLE U
Wednesday, September 21 at 7 p.m. PT
Pullman, Washington at Lower Soccer Field
Streaming: ESPN+ (Greg Heister)

COUGARS OPEN CONFERENCE PLAY
Washington State soccer returns to Pullman to begin their final season as a WCC affiliate member, hosting new West Coast Conference member Seattle U, Wednesday, September 24, at 7 p.m. at Lower Soccer Field. Thursday's match also celebrates Surf Soccer Club Night.

THE COUGARS AND THE REDHAWKS
Washington State and Seattle have met regularly throughout their histories dating back to a 1989 inaugural matchup in Spokane, Washington. Since then, the Cougars have enjoyed a 16-2-0 advantage against the Redhawks, including a 7-1-0 record under Coach Todd Shulenberger. SU's two wins have both come on the Palouse, most recently in Pullman in 2021.

LAST TIME ON THE PITCH
WSU lost to the Montana Grizzlies, 0-1 Sunday morning at South Campus Stadium in the final game of nonconference play. WSU GK Zora Standifer made her first career start as a Coug, making four saves in the match. Standifer made the initial save prior to Montana's game-winning 47th-minute goal, but the rebound spilled to a Grizzlies' attacker who finished in the goal-mouth scramble. Standifer made her first start since Oct. 29, 2023 as a Long Beach State 49er.

COACH TODD SURPASSES 200 MATCHES
Head Coach Todd Shulenberger oversaw his 200th career match at the helm of the Cougar program in WSU's 1-0 win at UC San Diego, September 11. Shulenberger is in his 11th season at the helm of the Cougar soccer program and currently holds a 108-63-32 record. Shulenberger is the longest tenured head coach in WSU soccer history, leading the Cougars to five NCAA Tournaments in 10 seasons, including an historic run to the College Cup and the 2019 national semifinal.

ABOUT THE REDHAWKS
Long-time foe Seattle U arrives to town behind 28th-year Head Coach Julie Woodward with an unbeaten 4-0-4 record. The Redhawks are led by senior Caroline Penner, the team's leading goalscorer each of the last two seasons, a United Soccer Coaches Forward to Watch, and Preseason All-WCC Team Selection. At the back, goalkeeper Kassidy Kirgan enters her third season between the sticks. Seattle U enters their first season in the West Coast Conference, moving from the Western Athletic Conference after 13 seasons.

INJURY BUG BITES
Four Cougar soccer student-athletes are currently sidelined with season-ending injuries, including three starters in Keara Fitzgerald, Becca Skinner, and Jenna Studer. Freshman Rhen Ericson suffered an injury in offseason training and elected to medically-redshirt the 2025 season. Freshman forward Becca Skinner suffered a season-ending injury during training ahead of the Cougars' August 28 match at Idaho. Captain and defensive centerback Jenna Studer's college career was cut short at UC Irvine, September 14, due to a season-ending knee injury. In the following game, starting goalkeeper Keara Fitzgerald went down without contact in the 72nd minute, ending her season and college career.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Cougars conclude the first weekend of conference play with a Saturday evening clash against Santa Clara. WSU hosts the Broncos for 'Socctoberfest' at 7 p.m. at Lower Soccer Field with the game streamed live on ESPN+.

STANDIFER BETWEEN THE STICKS
Redshirt-senior goalkeeper Zora Standifer made her debut as a Coug, replacing Keara Fitzgerald in goal in the 72nd minute, last Thursday in the 2-0 win over North Dakota State. The Long Beach State transfer made her first career start for Wazzu at Montana, Sunday, September 21. Standifer finished with four saves and made her first start since October 2023, when she was a junior at Long Beach State.

2025 ROSTER RELOAD
The Cougars welcomed 20 new faces, including six transfers and 14 freshmen. WSU retained 10 returnees, including four returning starters, two additional letterwinners, and four redshirts from last season's roster. This season, the Cougs have had 11 freshmen make their first college appearances, 16 student-athletes make their first starts at WSU, and six make their first appearances as Cougs. In the season opener against Utah State, 11 Cougs made their WSU debuts, including seven in the starting lineup. Eight freshmen played their first college match.

IF THE GLOVE FITZ
Redshirt-senior goalkeeper Keara Fitzgerald earned the starting nod in the 2025 season opener, returning to the pitch for the first time since October 2023 and the first time in a WSU uniform. Fitzgerald held down the starting job until suffering a season-ending injury against North Dakota State, September 18. Fitzgerald's top performances included a career-high 11 saves in a shutout at California, September 4, the most by a Coug 'keeper in five seasons. The performance earned her WCC Defensive Player of the Week, her second-career conference weekly honor. The California senior tallied an assist in the Cougars' draw with No. 13 Georgia, August 31, delivering her second-career assist and the first by a Cougar goalkeeper since Nadia Cooper notched an assist against Colorado in Boulder in 2021.

STUDER'S ALL-WCC SEASON CUT SHORT
Returning sixth-year senior Jenna Studer was named to the All-WCC preseason team. The California native featured in the Cougars' backline until she suffered a season-ending knee injury at UC Irvine, September 14. The four-year Coug also suffered a season-ending injury in 2023 just two games into the season. During her college career, Studer delivered four goals, including three at WSU, and a pair of assists. Part of the backline and defensive midfield throughout her career, Studer played 46 matches as a Coug, starting 43, and played over 3,500 minutes.

OH CAPTAINS, MY CAPTAINS
WSU's senior trio of Maggie Mace, Peyton Price, and Jenna Studer were selected by teammates and staff as the 2025 team captains.