MOSCOW, Idaho – The Vandal women's soccer team kicks off the season on the road at UC Riverside and Seattle U this weekend. Idaho will travel down to California on Thursday, to take on UCR at 7:30 pm. Idaho will return to the northwest and take on the Redhawks on Sunday at 1 pm.
ABOUT IDAHO
The reigning Big Sky tournament champions open the 2024 season on the road at UCR. Coming off a 12-5-2 finish, Idaho aims to start the season off with a clean sheet. In non-conference games last season, Idaho finished 5-2-1 overall.
The squad returns eight starters from last season, including five fifth-year student-athletes. It will be expected that the sophomore and junior classes will step up into the holes left by the graduating class. The greatest hole was left by the early departure of
Kira Witte, the two-time Big Sky Goalkeeper of the Year. Witte returned to Germany to start her educational pursuits.
Coach Clevenger ended last season as the winningest coach in program history hitting No. 53 in the conference championship match. He led the Vandals to the program's first-ever NCAA appearance where Idaho fell, 1-0 to Gonzaga in the first round.
ABOUT UC RIVERSIDE
UC Riverside finished the 2023-24 season 2-10-7 overall and did not compete in the Big West conference tournament. The Vandals are 1-5-2 all-time against the Highlanders, with their only win achieved at UCR's field. The last time the teams met in 2019, the Highlanders squeezed out a 1-0 win on their home turf.
The game will not be broadcast but will be available via
live stats.
ABOUT SEATTLE U
Seattle U is the first of many opponents that the Vandals will face for the second year in a row. In typical home-and-home fashion, Idaho will travel to Seattle after hosting last season where the Vandals won 3-1. The series is 3-11-1 in favor of the Redhawks. Idaho has only won twice on the road.
Seattle U finished last season 10-9-2 overall and ended their run with a 4-2 loss to GCU in the WAC tournament final.
The game will be available to watch on
ESPN+ and followed along on
live stats.
PETERS NAMED NCAA PLAYER TO WATCH
On August 6
th, the United Soccer Coaches Association announced a preseason list naming the top players to watch in the NCAA – Division I. Fifth-year,
Alyssa Peters was one of two Big Sky athletes that earned the honor. She was placed on the list among 27 of the best defenders across the nation.
PRESEASON POLL
Earlier this week, the Big Sky announced the preseason coaches' poll where Idaho was projected to finish third overall behind Northern Arizona and Montana. The Vandals received two first-place votes.
Poll Rankings
- Montana (5) – 56
- Northern Arizona (1) – 51
- Idaho (2) – 47
- Portland State – 37
- Sacramento State – 36
- Weber State – 31
- Idaho State – 23
- Eastern Washington – 22
- Northern Colorado (1) – 21
