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

For the second part of our series previewing this year's Washington State soccer team we'll be taking a look at the Cougar midfielders. Like the forwards, who we covered yesterday, there's been a lot of turnover at this position, but this time Washington State will have a few notable names returning.

The two biggest midfielder departure this off season was Reagan Kotschau, who transferred to Colorado after starting every game for the Cougars in both her seasons in Pullman. Megan Santa Cruz and Lindsey Turner were also regular starters for Washington State and have also left, meaning the Cougars are in the hunt for new starters.

Maggie Mace should have the inside track for one of those spots. She's the biggest returning name in the midfield, having started 17 games in 2024, picking up three assists. No one else with starting experience is back, Jamuna Williams did make an appearance in nine games.

Washington State has added three players in the off season to fill the remaining spots. The Cougars picked up Audrey Shackelford through the transfer portal. Shackelford was with Arkansas last season, making apperances in eight games as a freshman. She seems set to assume a larger role with the Cougars.

A pair of freshmen will round out WSU's midfielder group. Ana de los Santos just led Granada Hills High School to a SoCal Regional title, and played in the LA Breakers club system, and Isabelle Wright was a standout out at Centennial High School in Boise.

With only five midfielders on the roster Washington State will likely show a lot of forward heavy formations. There's a lot of youth at both positions, but the Cougars seemed to prioritize restocking the forward position in the off season, though it's possible players shift between positions as we learn more about each player's strengths.

The base line though is probably two midfielders, and one of them is going to be Mace. Expect to see a fierce camp battle for the second spot. Williams might have the advantage due to her experience in the system, but nothing is set in stone.

That's all for today. We'll be back tomorrow to finish up our previews of this year's Washington State soccer roster with a look at the defenders and goalkeepers.