Bloomsburg, Slippery Rock sit atop 2021 PSAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Polls
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Bloomsburg University and Slippery Rock University women’s soccer teams were picked as favorites in their respective divisions in the 2021 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Preseason Poll voted on by the coaches, the league office announced Friday.
EAST
The Bloomsburg Huskies are coming off an 18-3-1 (14-1-1 PSAC) 2019 season which featured an NCAA Division II Elite 8 appearance. Bloomsburg will be led by Nicole Varno, a 2019 first-team all-conference selection and All-Atlantic First-Team member. Also returning is Natalie Holmes, who garnered second team All-Atlantic honors. 2019 PSAC women’s soccer coach of the year Matt Haney is still at the helm for the Huskies.
The West Chester Golden Rams were picked to finish second and are returning goalkeeper Hayley McGee who made 21 saves in seven games. 2019 team assists leader Dani Cady will also be back. The Golden Rams posted a 10-4-2 PSAC record in 2019 and fell to Bloomsburg in the Atlantic Region Final.
In third place, the East Stroudsburg Warriors will look toward 2019 first-team all-conference midfielder Haley Skove. Eastern Division Freshman of the Year Melissa Herra tied for the 2019 Warriors team lead in goals scored with seven and was a Second-Team All-PSAC honoree.
Millersville is the fourth-place selection and is returning a pair of second-team all-conference players in Lauren Downey and Regan Kolinski. Incoming captain and 2019 Second-Team All-PSAC midfielder Savanna Harrison is returning to the Kutztown Golden Bears.
Shippensburg, Lock Haven, Mansfield and Shepherd round out the poll.
WEST
The Rock is the defending 2019 PSAC Women’s Soccer Champion. 2019 PSAC Western Division Athlete of the Year Rachel Edge will lead the squad. Returners Jordyn Minda, Emma Yoder and Kayla Swope all earned United Soccer Coaches All-Region honors in 2019. The Rock posted a 14-2-0 record in the PSAC to win the regular-season PSAC West title.
Picked to finish second, Mercyhurst will look to PSAC West Freshman of the Year Alyssa Otto who led the Lakers in both goals scored and assists. Maycen Anthony was the team-leader in points in an abbreviated 2020 season. Defender Taryn Baxter started every game, scored a game-winning goal, and was a 2019 First-Team All-PSAC selection.
Behind the Lakers, was Gannon who was selected third. Goalkeeper Kennedy Solymoski allowed one goal in shortened 2020 play. Logan Nicklas started all four 2020 matches for the Golden Knights.
Fourth place selection Edinboro is returning its second leading scorer Brittnie Spithaler and First-Team All-PSAC selection Mahogany Willis is back for fifth-picked IUP.
Pitt-Johnstown, Seton Hill, Cal U and Clarion make up the remainder of the Western Division.
2021 PSAC women’s soccer begins on Monday, August 23 when Bloomsburg hosts Susquehanna University.
The full PSAC Preseason Polls are listed below:
PSAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Polls
EAST (# of 1st place votes)
1. Bloomsburg (6)
2. West Chester (3)
3. East Stroudsburg
4. Millersville
5. Kutztown
6. Shippensburg
7. Lock Haven
8. Mansfield
9. Shepherd
WEST
1. Slippery Rock (6)
2. Mercyhurst (2)
3. Gannon (1)
4. Edinboro
5. IUP
6. Pitt-Johnstown
7. Seton Hill
8. Cal U
9. Clarion
ABOUT THE PSAC
Headquartered in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference comprised of 18 institutions in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The member institutions are Bloomsburg University, California University of Pennsylvania, Clarion University, East Stroudsburg University, Edinboro University, Gannon University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown University, Lock Haven University, Mansfield University, Mercyhurst University, Millersville University, The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Seton Hill University, Shepherd University, Shippensburg University, Slippery Rock University and West Chester University.