SEATTLE – Washington completed it’s fifth season under the guidance of head coach Nicole Van Dyke, with the campaign highlighted with a number of marquee results and accomplishments. The Huskies closed the season in fine form, going undefeated over the final seven matches of the season to secure a 4-4-3 conference record in their final season in the Pac-12.
YOUNG GUNS
With 10 of 11 starters from the previous season departed, Washington’s 2023 roster was a youthful one. 21 of the Huskies’ 28 players were underclassmen, with 166 of the 190 possible starts from field players being taken by freshmen and sophomores. The new kids on the block stepped up, tallying 23 goals and 18 assists. With a full season of experience under their belts, U Dub hopes that the veteran presence will pay off in 2024.
T-TIME
Down the stretch, few players were hotter than Washington’s Tatum Thomason. The sophomore striker scored the Huskies’ final three goals of the season, netting the last-minute winner at Oregon before posting a brace int he season finale against Washington State to lead the Huskies to an Apple Cup victory.
HERE TO HELP
Coming into the starting XI late in the season, defender Jace Holmes entered the fold with extreme success. The junior assisted on seven of Washington’s final 12 goals in 2023. The seven assists were enough to tie Holmes for the Pac-12 lead in helpers.
HOW ABOUT THEM APPLES
Washington made it two-in-two against rivals Washington State, taking down the Cougars 2-0 at Husky Soccer Stadium behind a pair of goals from Tatum Thomason. With the victory, Washington has won four of the last six Apple Cup matchups with the Cougars with a 4-1-1 record over the stretch. The Husky win happened in front of a crowd of 2,892, the second largest attendance in program-history.
NOT ALL POINTS ARE CREATED EQUAL
Washington’s 1-1 draw at No. 2 Stanford was no ordinary tie. The result gave the Huskies their first point against the Cardinal since 2004, snapping a 19-match losing streak to Stanford. Kelsey Branson scored the tying goal for the Huskies, while Olivia Juarez made a career-high 12 saves to earn TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week honors. Washington was one of the three Pac-12 teams to earn a point off of the Cardinal, the eventual national runner up.
HITTING THE BOOKS
Washington excelled in the classroom just as much as it did on the pitch. The Huskies placed 10 players on the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll (Hayden Crowley, Sophie Dimry, Mia…
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