Long Beach State University Athletics
Women’s Soccer Adds Two Spring Commitments
1/27/2026 4:45:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Mauricio Ingrassia and his staff have added one Division I transfer and one international recruit immediately.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State Women's Soccer has secured commitments from two new student-athletes who will be joining the program in the Spring of 2026. Mauricio Ingrassia and his staff will be adding Cassidy Drago, a Division I transfer from BYU and Yuika Nakayama, an international recruit from Japan.
Cassidy Drago | 5-8, Forward/Midfield | Winchester, Calif | BYU
Cassidy Drago joins Long Beach State with three years of eligibility remaining after spending her freshman season at BYU, playing in 17 games for the Cougars who reached the Sweet 16 last season in the NCAA tournament. Prior to her time at BYU, she was a CIF Division I state champion at Temecula Valley High School, leading TVHS to four straight league championships. She also played with the San Diego Surf in the WPSL and earned All-Conference honors.
Ingrassia on Drago:
"Cassidy is a forward from Temecula and the Surf Soccer Club who joins us as a transfer from BYU. She is a dynamic attacking player capable of scoring in a variety of ways and combining effectively with teammates in the final third. Cassidy adds quality and competition to our front line, and we are excited to see her in the Black and Gold."
Yuika Nakayama | 5-3, Midfield | Tokyo, Japan
Nakayama comes to Long Beach State from Japan as a top midfielder. Nakayama was part of a team that won the National Sports Festival in 2022, and helped lead Jumonji High School to a second-place finish in the high school championship in 2023. She follows three-year starter Kana Uchida as a Japanese international player to come directly to Long Beach State from Japan.
Ingrassia on Nakayama:
"Yuika becomes the second Japanese player in our program, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Beach. She spent the fall semester acclimating to campus life and improving her English while taking classes through our American Language Institute. Yuika is an extremely technical midfield player whose ability on the ball and soccer intelligence align perfectly with our style of play."
The two new players join Hannah Hopkins, an early signing window high school who will be enrolling early at Long Beach State. "Each addition strengthens a different line on the field and significantly enhances the overall depth and quality of our roster," said Ingrassia.
Cassidy Drago | 5-8, Forward/Midfield | Winchester, Calif | BYU
Cassidy Drago joins Long Beach State with three years of eligibility remaining after spending her freshman season at BYU, playing in 17 games for the Cougars who reached the Sweet 16 last season in the NCAA tournament. Prior to her time at BYU, she was a CIF Division I state champion at Temecula Valley High School, leading TVHS to four straight league championships. She also played with the San Diego Surf in the WPSL and earned All-Conference honors.
Ingrassia on Drago:
"Cassidy is a forward from Temecula and the Surf Soccer Club who joins us as a transfer from BYU. She is a dynamic attacking player capable of scoring in a variety of ways and combining effectively with teammates in the final third. Cassidy adds quality and competition to our front line, and we are excited to see her in the Black and Gold."
Yuika Nakayama | 5-3, Midfield | Tokyo, Japan
Nakayama comes to Long Beach State from Japan as a top midfielder. Nakayama was part of a team that won the National Sports Festival in 2022, and helped lead Jumonji High School to a second-place finish in the high school championship in 2023. She follows three-year starter Kana Uchida as a Japanese international player to come directly to Long Beach State from Japan.
Ingrassia on Nakayama:
"Yuika becomes the second Japanese player in our program, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Beach. She spent the fall semester acclimating to campus life and improving her English while taking classes through our American Language Institute. Yuika is an extremely technical midfield player whose ability on the ball and soccer intelligence align perfectly with our style of play."
The two new players join Hannah Hopkins, an early signing window high school who will be enrolling early at Long Beach State. "Each addition strengthens a different line on the field and significantly enhances the overall depth and quality of our roster," said Ingrassia.
Players Mentioned
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