PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State women’s soccer team begins its 2026 campaign, Wednesday, August 12 against Idaho at 6 p.m. at Lower Soccer Field in Pullman in the inaugural game for first-year head coach Chris Citowicki. The Cougars welcome their cross-border rivals for the Wazzu Whiteout game with streaming coverage available on the Pac-12 YouTube channel.
The Cougars and Vandals have played 16 times, dating back to September 6, 1999. Idaho won the inaugural match, 2-1, before WSU rattled off 14-straight wins in the series. The Vandals found their footing last fall with a 1-1 draw at the Kibbie Dome, bringing the all-time record to 14-1-1.
WSU returned eight student-athletes from the 2025 season, including starting goalkeeper Keara Fitzgerald, recovering from a season-ending injury last September. Accompanying Fitzgerald are sophomores Aaya McLyn, Delanie Corcoran, and Maddie Martin who earned playing time in their first season on the Palouse. Meg Devall, Hannah James, and Rhen Ericson all return after redshirting the 2025 season.
Coach Citowicki became the eighth head coach in WSU soccer history last December and brought 10 transfers from his program at Montana in addition to three additional college transfers. Preseason Pac-12 Impact List honorees Ashlyn Dvorak, Carly Whalen, and Lexi Lee headline Wazzu’s transfer success, along with eight additional starters from last year’s Lady Griz roster.
In 2025, Citowicki led Montana in a sweep of the Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament championships, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time under Citowicki. Citowicki led the Griz to nine Big Sky Championships, including three-consecutive regular-season. The 2023 Big Sky Coach of the Year, Citowicki finished at Montana with a 79-39-32 record and four NCAA postseason appearances.
Ten true freshmen joined the Cougar program between the beginning of the spring semester and mid-June, concluding with a trio of international signings in Isabella Amado, Noa Biton, and Sophie Campbell.
The Cougars enters the renewed Pac-12 Conference this fall partnering with Oregon State to welcome new members Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, San Diego State, Texas State, and Utah State.
Cougar soccer single-match and season tickets are on sale now at wsucougars.com. Follow WSU soccer on social media and stay up to date on Cougar news, on Instagram, X, and Facebook.