2024 WSU Soccer Schedule Announced
PULLMAN, Wash. – The upcoming 2024 schedule for the Washington State women's soccer team was announced Thursday. The Cougars will play nine home matches at Lower Soccer Field and participate in the West Coast Conference (WCC) as an affiliate member for the upcoming season. Head Coach Todd Shulenberger enters his 10th season at Washington State, looking to lead the Cougs to a 15th NCAA Tournament appearance.
Washington State will play one exhibition match at Seattle U and nine nonconference games before the 10-game WCC season. Fans can stream the entire WCC women's soccer season live with ESPN+, while the Cougars' four nonconference home games will also be included, offering WSU fans 14 guaranteed games available across the ESPN+ service.
The Cougars will begin the season on the road, facing the Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Indiana, Thursday, August 15, for the first all-time meeting between the programs. The Boilermakers are led by first-year head coach Richard Moore.
"We've built a competitive schedule that will showcase our team's talent," Shulenberger said. "From start to finish we are facing talented opponents and giving our team the best chance to get back to the NCAA Tournament again. That's the type of schedule we want to build – one that is nationally competitive and prepares us for November."
During the first week of classes in Pullman, the Cougars will host their home opener, welcoming Montana, Thursday, August 22 at Lower Soccer Field for the inaugural home athletic event of the 2024-25 year. The Cougars have won four consecutive matches against the Grizzlies, including a Nov. 13, 2021 victory in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. WSU concludes the weekend with a Palouse clash against the Idaho Vandals, Sunday, August 25, in Pullman. Wazzu holds a 13-1-0 record against the Vandals, winners of 13 straight, including a 3-0 win at home, February 19, 2021 in the last meeting.
WSU begins September in the Bay Area to face familiar foe Stanford, Sunday, September 1. The Cougs and Cardinal have a continuous series dating back to the 1992 season, but this will mark the first nonconference meeting between the programs in school history.
Returning to Lower Soccer Field, WSU welcomes a pair of UC schools in UC Irvine, Thursday, September 5, and UC San Diego, Sunday, September 8. The Cougars have not faced Irvine since 2013, holding a 4-1 all-time record and four-match winning streak against the Anteaters. Sunday's match with UCSD will mark the first meeting between the programs.
Before beginning conference play, the Cougars will take a 3-game road swing beginning in Athens, Georgia. WSU will play Georgia Southern, Thursday, September 12 in a neutral-site meeting at the University of Georgia. The Cougs and Eagles have only met once previously, a 5-0 victory for WSU at home in 2017. WSU will kick off against the hosting Georgia Bulldogs, Sunday, September 15, in the first all-time meeting between Washington State and Georgia.
WSU concludes its nonconference in Logan, Utah, Thursday, September 19, against the Utah State Aggies. The Cougars have never faced the Aggies under Shulenberger, holding a 2-0 all-time record with the last meeting September 3, 2006 in Salt Lake City.
The Cougars will compete against San Diego in their first WCC match as affiliate conference members. WSU and USD kick off Saturday, September 28, at Lower Soccer Field. Wazzu makes its first conference road trip of the year, Wednesday, October 2, traveling to Malibu, California to play the Pepperdine Waves, followed by Loyola Marymount (LMU), Saturday, October 5, in Los Angeles. The Cougars hold short unbeaten streaks against both southern California schools, defeating the Waves once under Coach Shulenberger and have not played LMU since a 2-1 win in Pullman in 2002.
Wazzu returns home to face Saint Mary's, Wednesday, October 9, and Portland, Saturday, October 12. The Cougars have faced the Gaels and Pilots each of the last two seasons, but never as conference opponents. WSU defeated Portland for the first time in program history last fall in the Rose City, while the Gaels got the better of the Cougs in Moraga, California last September. Coach Shulenberger is the only coach in WSU soccer history to defeat SMC or Portland.
The final road stretch of the regular season will begin in Spokane, Washington as WSU makes the short drive to face Gonzaga, Saturday, October 19, in the 27th all-time meeting between the Cougs and Zags, first as Conference opponents. Wazzu boasts a 24-1-1 record against GU, but have played only once in the last five seasons.
WSU concludes its away schedule with trips to the Bay Area. The Cougars will face Santa Clara, Wednesday, October 23, before taking the weekend off. The Cougs and Broncos have met 10 times in program history with Santa Clara holding the 1-8-1 historical advantage, while Shulenberger has split his faceoffs with the Broncos 1-1 in his time at WSU, most recently falling to SCU 1-2, August 27, 2017.
The University of San Francisco (USF) Dons welcome Washington State to the Bay Area, Saturday, November 2, marking the first meeting between the sides since September 30, 2005. The Dons are 3-1 all-time against the Cougs, but WSU won the 2005 match, 4-0 in Pullman.
The regular season concludes back in Pullman at Lower Soccer Field with Oregon State traveling to the Palouse, Wednesday, November 6. The Beavers and Cougars have a continuous rivalry dating back to the inaugural match in 1991. Since then, the Cougs hold a 19-10-4 record against OSU and are unbeaten against the Beavers in the last six meetings.
The WSU community will celebrate the 2024 Cougar soccer seniors with Senior Day recognitions in the season finale, Saturday, November 9, against Pacific. The Cougars and Tigers have not met since a 2-2 draw in Stockton in 1998.
The 2024 NCAA Tournament Women's Soccer Selection Show will be streamed live, Monday, November 11 before the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, beginning Friday, November 15.