Cougar Soccer Earns Top-25 Preseason Ranking
PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State women's soccer program enters the 2022 season ranked No. 20 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll, the organization announced Tuesday.
The honor marks the first time since 2018 the Cougars garnered preseason honors from United Soccer Coaches and matches the highest national preseason ranking in program history. It is only the third time in program history the national coaches' association placed WSU in the preseason top 25. The Cougs were one of four Pac-12 Conference schools picked in the national poll. UCLA, USC, and Stanford were picked, No 13, No. 15, and No. 21, respectively.
WSU begins the 2022 fall season Thursday, Aug. 18 at Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Wolverines were also named to the preseason poll at No. 9, staging an early top-25 matchup for the Cougs to kick off the season.
Washington State returns a strong defensive core for this season's campaign, including All-Pac-12 selections Mykiaa Minniss and Bridget Rieken, and anchored by Pac-12 Freshman and Goalkeeper of the Year Nadia Cooper. In the attacking third, Grayson Lynch returns as the Cougars' top leading goalscorer, playing in front of all-conference midfielder Sydney Studer.
The season officially begins Aug. 18 at U-M Soccer Stadium against No. 9 Michigan at 4 pm PT/7 p.m. ET. Prior to the start of the regular season the Cougs will play one tune-up exhibition at home against Gonzaga, Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. Washington State will welcome Portland to Lower Soccer Field, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m., for the first home match of the fall campaign.
2022 United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll
- Florida State
- Duke
- BYU
- Virginia
- Santa Clara
- Rutgers
- TCU
- Arkansas
- Michigan
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- South Carolina
- UCLA
- Penn State
- USC
- Notre Dame
- Pepperdine
- Mississippi
- Georgetown
- Washington State
- Stanford
- Memphis
- SMU
- Xavier
- Clemson