Washington State women’s soccer opens a new chapter Wednesday night, and the first test arrives right away.
The Cougars host Idaho at 6 p.m. at Lower Soccer Field in Pullman, with first-year head coach Chris Citowicki making his debut in the inaugural game of the 2026 season. It’s also the Wazzu Whiteout game, and the matchup will stream on the Pac-12 YouTube channel.
WSU’s meeting with the Vandals carries a long series history. The teams have faced each other 16 times since the first matchup on September 6, 1999, when Idaho won 2-1.
Washington State then rolled off 14 straight victories before Idaho snapped that run with a 1-1 draw at the Kibbie Dome last fall. That result moved the all-time series to 14-1-1.
The Cougars enter Citowicki’s first season with a mix of returning experience and a reshaped roster. Eight players are back from the 2025 team, including starting goalkeeper Keara Fitzgerald, who is recovering from a season-ending injury last September. Sophomores Aaya McLyn, Delanie Corcoran, and Maddie Martin also return after logging minutes as freshmen, while Meg Devall, Hannah James, and Rhen Ericson are back after redshirting the 2025 season.
Citowicki, hired last December as the eighth head coach in Washington State women’s soccer history, brought plenty of familiar faces with him. He added 10 transfers from Montana, plus three more college transfers, giving the Cougars a significant infusion of proven talent. Among the headliners are preseason Pac-12 Impact List honorees Ashlyn Dvorak, Carly Whalen, and Lexi Lee, along with eight other starters from last year’s Lady Griz squad.
His track record at Montana was strong. In 2025, Citowicki guided the Griz to a sweep of the Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament titles and reached the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time under his watch.
Over his time there, Montana won nine Big Sky championships, including three straight regular-season crowns. Citowicki finished his Montana run with a 79-39-32 record and four NCAA postseason appearances, and he was named the 2023 Big Sky Coach of the Year.
The roster also includes 10 true freshmen who arrived between the start of the spring semester and mid-June, capped by international signings Isabella Amado, Noa Biton, and Sophie Campbell.
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