CALDWELL, Idaho – After three consecutive Cascade Collegiate Conference regular-season championships and three straight CCC Tournament titles, The College of Idaho women's soccer team enters the 2026 season as the team to beat. The Yotes were selected as the preseason favorite in the CCC Coaches' Poll, earning nine of 13 first-place votes.
Head coach
Brian Smith's squad returns after a 17-3-1 season in 2025 that saw The College of Idaho capture another conference championship and advance to the NAIA Round of 16. The Yotes finished 11-1 in CCC play and enter the new campaign looking to continue one of the conference's most successful runs.
The College of Idaho returns a strong core from last year's championship team, led by senior forward
Abbi Roubidoux, who is on the verge of rewriting the program record book. The Fruitland native enters her final season with 35 career goals, just four shy of the school record. Roubidoux earned NAIA All-America honors in 2025 after scoring 16 goals and adding seven assists, including seven game-winning goals.
The Yotes also return one of the conference's top defensive foundations. Senior defender
Shaelyn Olsen logged a team-high 1,787 minutes last season while helping anchor one of the strongest back lines in the CCC. Junior defender
Ava Poyser has started every match she has played during her collegiate career, appearing in 42 contests entering the season. Midfielder
Allison Moultray also returns after posting four goals and four assists during last year's championship campaign.
While the Yotes graduated one of the most prolific senior classes in program history, including all-time greats
Eden Makaafi,
Gianna Yslava and
Natasja Davis, the roster welcomes several impact additions expected to contribute immediately.
Among the newcomers is
Molly McCabe, a junior goalkeeper transfer from Boise State. McCabe arrives in Caldwell after helping the Broncos capture back-to-back Mountain West regular-season championships and is expected to strengthen an already talented goalkeeping corps.
Freshman defender
Megan Whalen comes to The College of Idaho following a decorated prep career in Nevada. She was named the Nevada 4A Northern Region Defensive Player of the Year and McQueen High School Female Senior Student-Athlete of the Year, while also excelling as a standout track and field athlete.
The Yotes also add freshman forward
Rylee Russell, a Washington All-State MVP who amassed 175 career goals during her high school career. Russell helped lead her team to a state championship in 2024 and a runner-up finish in 2025.
The 2026 roster features 16 returning letterwinners and a blend of experienced veterans and promising newcomers as The College of Idaho looks to defend its conference crown once again. Smith enters his 15th season leading the women's soccer program with 153 victories with the team and 235 wins overall during his Yotes coaching career.
The season officially begins later this month as the Yotes prepare to pursue a fourth consecutive CCC regular-season championship and fourth straight conference tournament title. First up for the Yotes is a road trip to California to take on Soka Univ. of America (Calif.), The Master's Univ. (Calif.), and Hope International Univ. (Calif.). Their first game at Simplot will be hosting Warner Pacific Univ. (Ore.) on September 18
th which also opens up conference play.
