LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – For the 2026 season, both the West Chester University and Slippery Rock University women’s soccer teams were selected as preseason favorites in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Preseason Polls, as voted on by the league’s coaches.
 
Eastern Division
 
The West Chester Golden Rams were voted No. 1 in the PSAC Eastern Division Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll with a unanimous seven first-place votes. WCU finished with a 16-3-4 overall record (13-1-2 in conference play) and made it all the way to the round of eight in the 2025 NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Championship. Returners include 2025 PSAC East Athlete of the Year Kianna Barber, who scored 13 goals and assisted on five others last season, as well as East Freshman of the Year defender Katie Dougherty.

No. 2 Kutztown compiled an overall record of 13-6-1 (9-4-1 PSAC) in 2025. The Golden Bears’ returners are headlined by seniors Corinne Morgan (13 goals, four assists) and 2025 PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year Maura Day (10 assists). KU allowed just 18 goals last fall, the third-best total in the East.

Bloomsburg, the No. 3 team in the East that received a single first-place vote, compiled a 10-7-2 overall record (7-5-2 PSAC) in 2025. The Huskies return All-Conference Second Team forward Anika Krasnai (two goals, three assists) as well as top point-scorers Daryn Savage (five goals, one assist) and Olivia Thompson (four goals, three assists.)
 
Two-time defending PSAC champion Shepherd (12-2-6 overall, 7-1-6 PSAC) comes in at No. 4 in this year’s poll. The new-look Rams are led by first-year head coach Bob Meals but return two of its top three point-getters from a season ago, including Merritt Delk (nine goals, seven assists) and Reagan Ackermann (eight goals, eight assists.)
 
No. 5 Millersville, No. 6 East Stroudsburg, No. 7 Shippensburg, and No. 8 Mansfield complete the rest of the 2026 poll.
 
Western Division
 
Slippery Rock was voted No. 1 in the PSAC Western Division Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll, collecting five first-place votes. In 2025, The Rock finished 12-4-1 overall (12-1-1 PSAC) and return a trio of All-Conference Second Team honorees in defender Kailyn Schulte, midfielder Sophia Palermo (two goals, eight assists), and goalkeeper Leah Allman (six shutouts in 2025.)
 
Voted No. 2 in the poll with four first-place votes, Gannon (16-3-2 overall, 11-1-2 PSAC) scored a West-leading 61 goals last fall. The Golden Knights return much of that offensive firepower, including Brooklyn Respecki (10 goals, eight assists), Grace Emanuel (six goals, 10 assists), Olivia Dixon (eight goals, five assists), and Jessie Watkins (five goals, eight assists.)

No. 3 IUP (14-3-2 overall, 11-2-1 PSAC) only allowed a PSAC-best 11 goals last season and return PSAC Western Division Defensive Player of the Year Emma Hays to lead the defense. Also back are three additional All-Conference honorees: First Team midfielder Paige Fausey, Second Team defender Sydney Leach, and Second Team forward Emily Lattea, who scored 14 goals and assisted on two others last fall.
 
Edinboro (8-9-1 overall, 6-7-1 PSAC) is the No. 4 team in this year’s poll. Jada Cole (10 goals, two assists) returns after earning the PSAC West Freshman of the Year and PSAC First Team All-Conference honors, as does Second Team midfielder Sonoka Shiokawa.

No. 5 Seton Hill, No. 6 Lock Haven, No. 7 Clarion, No. 8 Pitt-Johnstown, and No. 9 California round out the rest of the poll.
 
The 2026 PSAC women’s soccer season kicks off in full on Thursday, Aug. 27.
 
2026 PSAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Polls (# of first place votes in parentheses)
 
Eastern Division

1. West Chester (7)
2. Kutztown
3. Bloomsburg (1)
4. Shepherd
5. Millersville
6. East Stroudsburg
7. Shippensburg
8. Mansfield
 
Western Division
 
1. Slippery Rock (5)
2. Gannon (4)
3. IUP
4. Edinboro
5. Seton Hill
6. Lock Haven
7. Clarion
8. Pitt-Johnstown
9. California