‘I still got it’ Izzo-Brown about to reach third decade at WVU
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MORGANTOWN — The black-rimmed glasses Nikki Izzo-Brown now sports are straight up from the Robert De Niro prop collection from his "Casino" days.
The only head coach the WVU women's soccer program has ever known has now held that title for three decades and is about to begin her 31st season with the Mountaineers, who host Dayton at 7 p.m. today inside Dick Dlesk Stadium to kickoff the 2026 season.
"The only difference are these glasses," Izzo-Brown jokes about what's different from 1996 to 2026. "I still got it."
Coming off a 14-3-4 season in which it took two overtimes and penalty kicks for Georgetown to eliminate the Mountaineers in the second round of last season's NCAA tournament, no one doubts Izzo-Brown has lost a step.
At least that's what the preseason predictions are saying. WVU enters this season ranked No. 20 in the nation in the United Soccer Coaches poll. In the Big 12, the Mountaineers are once again thought to be good enough to challenge for a conference title, having finished tied for third in the league's preseason poll.
All of it is familiar waters for Izzo-Brown and the Mountaineers, who have played in 24 NCAA tournaments. Being nationally ranked? WVU has been there, done that, too.
Doing it for 30 years, though, Izzo-Brown admits she never would have believed that way back when.
"It goes quick, which is what we all say as we get to this point in years accumulated," she said. "What I've said to everyone is I would have never thought I'd be sitting here going, 'I've been here 31 years and coaching a team 30.' What I tell everybody is I'm still the most enthusiastic I've ever been, from the 1996 team until now. When I'm not, then I've got to figure that out."
WVU does face some challenges, most notably TCU is the heavy favorite in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs are safely in the top 10 in the national rankings after advancing to the College Cup last season before losing in the national semifinals.
WVU must also replace last season's leading scorer, Taylor White. Part of that responsibility was going to fall on the shoulders of midfielder Maddie Levy, but the junior tore her ACL this spring and will sit out this season.
What Izzo-Brown has is a preseason all-Big 12 goalkeeper in Bailey Herfurth, who registered 46 saves and nine shutouts last season.
She might also have another Canadian connection in defender Nyema Ingleton and midfielder Anna Hauer, who were also named to the all-Big 12 preseason team.
In 2016, the duo of Ashley Lawrence and Kadeisha Buchanan led the Mountaineers to 23 wins, a No. 1 national ranking and an appearance in the national championship game. They went on to play in two Olympics for Team Canada and both will be enshrined in the WVU Athletics Hall of Fame in September.
Ingleton and Hauer - both from Calgary, Alberta - now have the opportunity to follow in those footsteps.
"It's tough to compare to Kadeisha and Ashley, because they just impacted at the pro level," Izzo-Brown said. "These two Canadians have the potential to do that in their own talented way. I think you're going to see both of them impact the season for West Virginia and beyond.
"We're really thrilled that both of them have developed their talent. I hate comparing players, but in their own game, they're just as talented."
WVU begins the season with three matches in Morgantown, including a showdown against Penn State, which also played in the second round of the NCAA tournament last season. There is also a match against in-state rival Marshall on Sept. 6, at Dick Dlesk Stadium, before the Big 12 season begins on Sept. 18.
"There are must-win games and then there are games that maybe you can fumble," Izzo-Brown said. "In the nonconference, we've got to win five of them, for sure. We definitely need the RPI points and we definitely need the wins."