Women's Lacrosse | 2/5/2026 2:30:00 PM
The Gannon women's lacrosse team has been selected to finish fifth in the PSAC Western Division Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches and announced Wednesday afternoon.
In the Western Division, PSAC runner-up and NCAA National Semifinalist No. 8 Slippery Rock was picked to finish first after collecting five first-place votes. No. 17 Seton Hill received one first-place vote and was selected second, followed by Lock Haven, IUP, Gannon, and Edinboro.
On the Eastern side, three-time PSAC Champion No. 4 West Chester was voted to finish first with six first-place votes. No. 14 East Stroudsburg earned one first-place vote and was picked second, while No. 21 Kutztown rounded out the top three.
Gannon enters the 2026 season under seventh-year head coach Jenny Pawlowski after finishing 5-12 overall and 2-8 in PSAC West play last season, including a season sweep of Edinboro.
The Golden Knights will look to replace midfielder Caroline Stevens (Syracuse, N.Y./Liverpool), who set the program's single-season draw control record with 107 and later recorded a single-game program record of 16 draw controls against Edinboro. Stevens also finished second on the team in scoring with 42 goals and 14 assists while appearing in all 17 games.
Gannon will also need to replace Avery Kirisits, one of the team's top offensive contributors last season. Kirisits recorded 25 goals and four assists and finished among Gannon's top five scorers while appearing in all 17 games.
All-PSAC West First Team midfielder Charlie Hunter (Boston, N.Y./Hamburg) returns to lead the offense after pacing Gannon with 44 goals and four assists for 48 total points. Hunter also recorded 58 draw controls, 38 ground balls, and 27 caused turnovers.
Along with Hunter, midfielder Rayla Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) returns after finishing as Gannon's fifth-leading goal scorer with 23 goals and two assists. Midfielder Alyssa Lerch (Coraopolis, Pa./Moon Area) (Coraopolis, Pa./Moon Area) also returns after scoring 10 goals last season.
Gannon opens the season on Saturday, February 14 at 1 p.m. on the road against Wheeling (W.Va.).
