ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon women's soccer team will open the season this week by hosting three talented programs in the Gannon Invitational.

Gannon will play two strong West Virginia programs from the Mountain East Conference  – Concord University and the University of Charleston. Nationally ranked Kutztown will also play in the tournament although Gannon will not face the Golden Bears in the two-day format.
 

SCHEDULE:

Thursday:

(Home team listed first)
3 p.m.: Kutztown vs. Charleston  Live stats   Live stream 

6 p.m.: Gannon vs. Concord  Live stats   Live stream

Saturday:

3 p.m.: Concord vs. Kutztown  Live stats   Live stream

6 p.m.: Charleston vs. Gannon  Live stats   Live stream

 
THE TEAMS:

Gannon Golden Knights (15-4-4 in 2022): Coach Colin Petersen's team is the preseason favorite in the PSAC Western Division after winning the PSAC West regular-season title in 2022. The Golden Knights also were the 2022 PSAC Tournament runner-up and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional.

The Golden Knights, who have many returning players and a big recruiting class, were unanimously voted as the preseason favorites in the PSAC West coaches' poll.
 
Concord Mountain Lions (12-5-2 in 2022): The Mountain Lions opened the 2022 season with a 3-2 home-field victory over Gannon.  Concord placed second in the Mountain East Conference South Division and was voted the MEC South preseason favorite for 2023.

Coach Luke Duffy has compiled an 84-32-15 overall record in seven seasons. In 2021, the Mountain Lions went 20-1-3 and suffered their only loss in the NCAA D-II quarterfinals.

The 2023 Mountain Lions are led by three-time All-Atlantic Region midfielder Michelle Brogden. Duffy also returns several defensive players and welcomes seven transfers.
 
Charleston Golden Eagles (10-10-0 in 2022): Charleston placed third in the MEC South in 2022, and the coaches picked them third in this year's preseason poll.

Gannon defeated Charleston 2-0 in West Virginia during the second game of the Golden Knights' season. Although Charleston finished at .500 last year, two of the Golden Eagles' wins came against Concord – 1-0 in the regular season and 2-1 in the MEC Tournament quarterfinals.

Gary Oglivie enters his first season as the Charleston women's coach after coaching the men for three seasons. The Golden Eagles have seven starters returning.
 
Kutztown Golden Bears (11-6-4 in 2022): The last time Kutztown played at McConnell Family Stadium, the Golden Bears shut out Gannon 1-0 in the Atlantic Regional semifinals on Nov. 13, ending the Golden Knights' season.

Kutztown also faced Charleston in the 2022 season opener and beat the Golden Eagles 3-0. The Bears are ranked No. 19 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Association DII national poll. They were picked third in the PSAC East preseason poll behind Eastern Division powers West Chester and Bloomsburg.

Head coach Erik Burstein returns three All-PSAC East performers from last season.