When Marist Liufau steps onto the field, he does so as part of a Dallas Cowboys defense trying to establish its identity. But when the second-year linebacker leaves practice and checks his phone, his attention often shifts 1,300 miles away, to Washington, D.C., where his girlfriend, Sonia Citron, just wrapped up a rookie season that turned plenty of heads across the WNBA.
Citron’s debut season with the Washington Mystics was nothing short of impressive: WNBA All-Star, AP All-Rookie Team selection, second among rookies in scoring at 14.9 points per game, and the league’s rookie leader in three-point percentage at 44.5%.
“It’s really special to me, just being her boyfriend and a supporter,” Liufau said. “It’s so cool to see what she does. I got to go to the All-Star Game and catch some of her games. Watching her do her thing at the pro level now, it’s just amazing.”
For Liufau, watching Citron shine on the hardwood has also given him perspective on his own career. The couple has leaned on one another as they adjust to the unique challenges of professional sports.
“I think it’s more about life as a pro. You’ve got to create a routine,” Liufau said. “Obviously, I’m her boyfriend, but she can also ask me anything about my profession, what I did in my rookie year to help myself. We find similarities in our lifestyles, just both being pros. But at the same time, it’s different. I try to give her as much insight from my experience as I can. But I’m also pretty new, so I’m still learning too.”
Even Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has become part of the story. Citron’s highlights have made their way into the building, and Liufau said the support hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“Coach is a big supporter of her, Liufau added. He usually asks me about her, and we talk about it sometimes. I’ll update him on how she’s doing. I think he even showed her highlights in a team meeting I missed because I was coming from the draft. He talked about some of the cool stuff we did over the offseason, mentioned her getting drafted. I actually talked to him about experiencing that draft and how he didn’t want me to miss it. So he’s super supportive, of her, our relationship, and how she’s doing in the WNBA.”
Away from football fields and basketball courts, the two are still competitors, though in lighter settings.
“Yeah, you can see it sometimes, in different things we do. Like, for example, mini golf can get kind of competitive. I’ve got to remember, it’s my girlfriend at the end of the day. I’m not competing against other guys at my level. It’s my girlfriend. So yeah, I’ve got to keep that in mind.”
