PULLMAN, Wash. – The winningest team is WSU soccer history knocks off No. 2 seeded South Carolina punching their ticket to the College Cup.

Sound familiar?

“I keep seeing my Snapchat memories pop up and that’s when I’ve been realizing, wow, I was playing at Cal today [last year] and we won in overtime and I played a lot in that game,” Junior defender Kelis Barton said. “I had a lot of fun.”

The NCAA cancelled all Fall sport championships in wake of the coronavirus. Most conferences follow suit postponing their seasons until spring, but nothing was set in stone.

“Everything up until this day has still been day to day,” Barton said. “We’ve learned things literally hours before practices or hours after practice.”

The team got official word the morning of Oct. 1 that they will not play until the first week of February according to Junior defender Mykiaa Minniss. This decision from the Pac-12 came just over a week after previously green-lighting the football season for an early November start.

“I don’t know the logistics of why the Pac-12 did it,” Washington State Head Soccer Coach Todd Shulenberger said. “I just know that I’m extremely excited and so pleased to more forward to have a season this spring. We’ll take every opportunity we can to get ready to play.”

However, Barton feels conflicted.

“It’s our reality for the most part. We know football and basketball will always be priority. That’s where the revenue comes from.”

The SEC and ACC approved their conference for a fall slate. Though, the Covid Eligibility Rule grants everyone a second redshirt for the 2020 season. And for that reason, Shulenberger feels good about his team’s spot.

“We got a chance to win a Pac-12 Championship or a National Championship,” Shulenberger said. “And return two months later in the fall to do it all again and only lose one year of eligibility. It’s a win-win.”

The Division-I Women’s College Cup will be held in May with a field of 48 as oppose to 64 according to Shulenberger. Washington State was knocked out in the semi-finals just a season ago by the top-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels.

(Top Photo: Courtesy – WSU Athletics)