Washington State Soccer: Taking a Look at 2025's Forwards

The start of Washington State's soccer season is only a couple weeks away, which means it's time to take a look at this year's Cougars. Washington State suffered a mass exodus due to graduations and transfers, and 2025's squad is going to look very different form 2024's. We'll start by taking a look at the forwards.

Every forward who started a game for the Cougars in 2024 is gone from the team. That includes Grayson Lynch, who had been the program's rock for the last few seasons. Only one player who saw time on the field as a forward is still with the team, redshirt sophomore Elliotte Kortus, and she only played for 16 minutes in one game.

So this year's forward group is going to be entirely different. It's also going to be very young. While Washington State did pick up a few transfers, they also have seven freshmen on the roster. This is a group where we should expect to see big changes from week to week as Todd Shulenberger and the rest of the coaching staff figure out where everyone's strengths lie.

Let's start by focusing on those transfers. The Cougars picked up two forwards through the portal. First up was Abigail Siddall, who came to Pullman as a graduate transfer from the Savannah College of Arts and Design. The Bees are just coming off of an NAIA Championship, and Siddall scored a goal in the final game. While she'll be playing at a higher level of competition this season, she brings a level of skill and experience that the team needs.

The other forward who transferred to Washington State is Jordyn Young. Before joining the Cougars Young played for California, but struggled with injuries during her time in Berkeley. She missed the entire 2023 season, and only played for 54 total minutes in 2024. Before that, she made several starts for the Bears, so if she's healthy she should be able to find a major role at WSU.

After that, we have a lot of questions. Elliotte Kortus will definitely have a role to play after sticking with the program, and after a standout high school career in Idaho, but it remains to be seen how large that role will be. Hannah James also stayed with the team after spending a redshirt freshman year, and should finally see the field in 2025.

Among the freshmen, Delanie Corcoran, Kalia Franklin and Ava Ghoreishi have all picked up club experience, Corcoran with Beach FC in southern California, Franklin with Crossfire Premiere in Redmond, and Ghoreishi with Utah Royals FC's youth program. All of them could see some field time early.

A pair of local recruits, Rhen Ericson from Sammamish and Becca Skinner from Clarkston could also see some action. Ericson also played for Crossfire Premier, while Skinner spent some time with the Spokane Shadow. Finally, Emery Streets from Gallatin High School in Bozeman, Montana rounds out the roster.

Last season the Cougars ran anywhere from two to five forwards in their starting lineup, and that should continue this season as the team tries out a variety of formations with all their new talent. Siddall and Young should probably be mainstays, but Kortus and Corcoran could also be expected to see a lot of action. We'll find out on August 8 when the Cougs play their first exhibition against Eastern Washington.

That's all for today. Tomorrow we'll take a look at Washington State's midfielders.

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