LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The 2024 NCAA Division II national runner-up Kutztown University field hockey team was selected as preseason favorite in the 2025 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Field Hockey Preseason Poll, as voted on by the conference’s coaches.
 
KU received seven first-place votes in the 2025 poll and finished last fall with a 16-6 overall record (6-3 in PSAC play). The Golden Bears are looking to rebuild this year after losing 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Sarah Gatehouse and 2024 First Team All-Conference honoree Juliana Donato. Kutztown will look to Erin Gonzalez and Grace Harrold, Second Team and Third Team All-PSAC selections, to lead the Golden Bears this season. Gonzalez finished her junior year with 13 goals, the most on the team, and five assists while Harrold helped with six assists.

The 2024 PSAC runner-up East Stroudsburg was voted No. 2 in the preseason poll, receiving two first-place votes. ESU finished 2024 with a 17-5 overall record (7-2 PSAC). While the Warriors lose 2024 Athlete of the Year Jady van Gils, they return four All-Conference honorees from last season including Kerry Kaufman (Second Team) and Minke Klijn (Third Team). Kaufman finished 2024 with seven goals and four assists while Klijn was ESU’s top scorer with 13 goals. The Warriors look to maintain their high-level offense after finishing last season with 62 goals (third-most in the PSAC) and 43 assists (second-most).
 
The defending PSAC Champion, the Shippensburg Raiders are the No. 3 team in the 2025 preseason poll and collect one first place vote. The team accrued a record of 19-2 (9-0 PSAC) last fall, scored the most goals in the conference with 80, and allowed the lowest total of opposing goals with just 17 goals. Plenty of firepower is back for Shippensburg, including 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Emma Albee (.832 save percentage) and Agus Garibaldi (18 goals, 10 assists) a First Team All-Conference honoree. Also returning in Second Team honoree Hannah White, who should help shore up the defense.
 
West Chester, the No. 4 team in the poll, finished the 2024 season 12-7 overall (5-4 PSAC). The Golden Rams return Second Team All-Conference back Ella Shockley who finished last season with four goals and five assists.

The remainder of the 2025 poll is rounded out by No. 5 Bloomsburg, No. 6 Mansfield, No. 7 IUP, No. 8 Millersville, No. 9 Frostburg State, and No. 10 Slippery Rock.
 
The 2025 field hockey season kicks off in full on Thursday September 4.
 

2025 PSAC Field Hockey Preseason Poll (# of first-place votes in parentheses)
 
1. Kutztown (7)
2. East Stroudsburg (2)
3. Shippensburg (1)
4. West Chester
5. Bloomsburg
6. Mansfield
7. IUP
8. Millersville
9. Frostburg State