SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Washington State women's soccer senior goalkeeper Keara Fitzgerald was named the West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week for her shutout performance at California last week, the organization announced Monday.
 
Fitzgerald made a career-high 11 saves at California, Thursday, September 4, earning her first shutout of the season. The California native made the most saves by a Cougar goalkeeper since the rescheduled 2020 season and became the first WSU GK with 10+ saves since Pac-12 GK of the Year Nadia Cooper in 2021.
 
Twice last season Nadia Cooper was named the WCC's Defensive Player of the Week, with Fitzgerald's honor being the third weekly recognition for a Cougar 'keeper by the WCC, and first since September 23, 2024.
 
This week's honor marks Fitzgerald's second-career weekly honor, after earning the Big West Defensive Player of the Week in 2023 at UC San Diego.
 
The Cougs return to action this week against Fitzgerald's old team, UC San Diego, Thursday, September 11 at 7 p.m. in San Diego. WSU will face UC Irvine Sunday afternoon with both matches streamed live on ESPN+.