Soccer Citowicki leaving for Wazzu?

[Griz til I die]

No official word on GoGRIZ.com today, so I'm wondering how accurate any of this is. If he's told the team, it would stand to reason the university would need to announce it soon after.

Wazzu hasn’t announced it either. Maybe Haslam came in with an 11th hour offer to hang on to him?

 

[EverettGriz]

Wazzu hasn’t announced it either. Maybe Haslam came in with an 11th hour offer to hang on to him?

 

[Juiceut22]

Wazzu hasn’t announced it either. Maybe Haslam came in with an 11th hour offer to hang on to him?

Guess we will see. I only know what he told his team. Btw he interviewed for 8 jobs last year and came in second for 3 of them. He wants to get to a bigger market. Nothing against him for that. That is all part of corporate America which the ncaa is part of. I’m not impressed with him taking more than half of his team with him. He will gut this program.

 

[rjl106]

It’s official. Email sent out to athletes.

 

[Griz til I die]

Kyle Hansen confirmed it's a done deal. Maybe we can poach that new coach that Weber has. He seems pretty good.

 

[neon90]

Is it true he strong-armed players to immediately go into the portal and sign a Do Not Contact or be left behind? Only a couple hours to think, process, or decide if the jump to a new school they have never visited or know anything about is good for them, their major, or their twenty-year-old lives.

Yes it is true.

 

[AZDoc]

Yes it is true. Dvorak is leaving along with basically all but freshmen being left behind. And let's not forget he just cut 4 players. So he has left the program gutted - that is his legacy. Good riddance - despite public perception, he is not a good person and it's great he's going to a program that is in major debt and trending downwards.

That really stinks. Agreed that leaving it gutted is absolute garbage. You have any insight on options for coaches?

 

[MissoulaCanucksFan]

WSU has made it official: https://wsucougars.com/news/2025/12/12/chris-citowicki-named-head-coach-of-wsu-soccer.aspx

Thanks for the great eight years at UM, coach.

But in all seriousness, this one stings. And as someone that grew up a fan of rival Washington (because I had family go to and graduate from UW) I wish him the best except for any time his team goes against the Huskies and of course the Griz.

 

[Juiceut22]

It should sting. He did great while he was here but is leaving the program in shambles. Taking 12 players with him and gutting this program is his legacy.

 

[Griz til I die]

It should sting. He did great while he was here but is leaving the program in shambles. Taking 12 players with him and gutting this program is his legacy.

That's just the nature of college sports these days. Ya it sucks but you can't really be mad at him for this. There are no friends in recruiting. Plus whoever the new coach is will want their own players any way.

Coach took this program to heights like we've never seen before. They won so many trophies that they used those things like doorstops lol. That's his legacy. Soccer has been the gold standard of the athletic department. We're gonna be ok. This is an attractive job in the world of mid major Soccer. We will have no lack of suitors.

 

[Griz66]

If what is being reported is true about so many players going with him is true, this is more than a bad look. WSU must be in awful shape if that many players are going with him. Coach did much good over 8 years but that is not the way to leave a program

 

[Juiceut22]

If what is being reported is true about so many players going with him is true, this is more than a bad look. WSU must be in awful shape if that many players are going with him. Coach did much good over 8 years but that is not the way to leave a program

WSU is taking 15 to ole miss.

 

[GrizGirl]

WSU is taking 15 to ole miss.

True. He wasn’t ahead of it with them. They heard from him a half hour after the news broke.

 

[AZDoc]

I love watching these girls play. I’m still going to watch them! They need our support! Any rumors on coaching candidates?

 

[GrizGirl]

Is this common? I understand taking a few key players but gutting this team seems unethical

It's not uncommon with how the NCAA is these days. One coach moves and takes players, then the new coach who gets the job does the same. We haven't experienced it since all out coaches who have left in recent years were fired or essentially asked to resign.

It's risky to stay somewhere after the head coach leaves and it's risky to follow a coach. Last year when the new Auburn soccer coach started in January 2025, most of the team stayed. They played in the spring and the new coach cut 12 girls including incoming freshman.

 

[GrizGirl]

I love watching these girls play. I’m still going to watch them! They need our support! Any rumors on coaching candidates?

I know of a couple candidates and we'll be in good hands. We all knew we couldn't keep Chris forever... that's what happens to coaches who win a lot and aren't awarded with upgrades and financially!

 

[GrizGirl]

Does J Landham want the job or are we gonna end up conducting a national search?

Seems like they are searching.

 

[GrizGirl]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1998848210115366961

This could explain a lot of the transfer portal movement we've seen so far.

At the time of this tweet, there was only 1 griz in the transfer portal. The other four that had already been picked up. So what movement are you talking about?

 

[GrinningGriz]

Is it true he strong-armed players to immediately go into the portal and sign a Do Not Contact or be left behind? Only a couple hours to think, process, or decide if the jump to a new school they have never visited or know anything about is good for them, their major, or their twenty-year-old lives.

I feel like I can unequivocally shut down this interpretation of what happened. I've talked to nearly every single player or their parents of girls who are entering the portal (My kid is a soccer ALUM). Synopsis of how the conversations actually went (which were almost entirely initiated by the players after Kyle's tweet)

Player: Hey Coach, I saw Kyle's tweet about you maybe leaving.
Coach: Yeah, it's going to be a hard decision but I think it's the right move for my career and family.
Player: yeah, I get it.
Coach: Would love to have you come to WSU if you're open to it.
Player: Wow. Is anyone else going?
Coach: I know X, Y and Z plan on coming.
Player: I'll think about it and talk to my parents.
Coach: totally understand, no pressure. Do what's best for you.
Player: Thanks.

Sorry... but to me that doesn't sound like strong arming to me. Yes, they all felt rushed... cause Spring semester is right around the corner. One of the players Dad's told me they've expected Chris to be leaving for years (even while his kid was being recruited) and his daughter always said if he left and wanted her to go with, she would.

At least two of the players that aren't going called Chris to talk to him because they also wanted to go. My family will continue to root on the Griz and Coach J, and cheer on the new coach, but will also root on the girls who are going to WSU from afar.

 

[GrinningGriz]

Is this common? I understand taking a few key players but gutting this team seems unethical.

Once a few key players decide to go, the other players want to go elsewhere too... WSU's coach took a handful of key players and most of the others decided to enter the portal too. I don't blame players who don't want to become casualties of a new head soccer coach who cuts them.