Women's Soccer | 8/12/2026 2:35:00 PM

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The No. 23 Gannon women's soccer team has been selected to finish second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division, as the conference announced its 2026 preseason coaches' poll on Wednesday afternoon.

A week ago, the Golden Knights were ranked No. 23 in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Preseason National Poll.

2025 PSAC West regular-season champion Slippery Rock was selected as the preseason favorite after receiving five first-place votes. The Rock finished 12-1-1 in conference play a year ago, just ahead of Gannon at 11-1-2.

Gannon received the remaining four first-place votes, while IUP was picked third. Edinboro, Seton Hill, Lock Haven, Clarion, Pitt-Johnstown and California (Pa.) rounded out the Western Division poll.

Gannon enters the 2026 campaign following another successful season in which the Golden Knights finished 16-3-2 overall, advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the fifth consecutive season and ninth time in program history, and closed the year ranked No. 25 in the final United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll.

The Golden Knights opened NCAA Tournament play with a 2-0 victory over Bloomsburg before ultimately falling to host Shepherd in the second round.

Gannon returns four of its seven All-PSAC West honorees from a year ago in forwards Brooklyn Respecki (McKean, Pa./General McLane) and Jessie Watkins (Bowie, Md./Bowie), midfielder Grace Emanuel (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and defender Hannah Shepard (Erie, Pa./McDowell).

Seniors Respecki, Emanuel and Shepard each earned first team All-PSAC West honors for the third consecutive year in 2025, while Watkins, now a junior, earned second team honors.

Respecki finished second on the team in scoring with 10 goals and eight assists for 28 points despite missing three matches. Emanuel earned D2CCA third team All-America honors after totaling six goals and a team-high 10 assists for 22 points.

Her 10 assists tied for the PSAC lead and ranked tied for eighth in NCAA Division II. Shepard earned first team All-PSAC West honors despite being limited to 14 matches due to injury, while Watkins finished with five goals and eight assists.

Head coach Colin Petersen enters his 25th season as Gannon's head women's soccer coach and 27th season overall with the program in 2026. Petersen is the winningest and longest-tenured coach in program history and enters the season with a 237-167-46 career record.

In the Eastern Division, 2025 NCAA Division II national quarterfinalist West Chester was selected as the preseason favorite after receiving seven first-place votes. The Golden Rams enter 2026 ranked No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll. Kutztown was picked second, followed by Bloomsburg in third.

Defending PSAC champion and preseason No. 17 Shepherd was selected fourth, followed by Millersville, East Stroudsburg, Shippensburg and Mansfield.

2026 PSAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll

West

1. Slippery Rock (5)
2. No. 23 GANNON (4)
3. IUP
4. Edinboro
5. Seton Hill
6. Lock Haven
7. Clarion
8. Pitt-Johnstown
9. California (Pa.)

East

1. No. 6 West Chester (7)
2. Kutztown
3. Bloomsburg (1)
4. No. 17 Shepherd
5. Millersville
6. East Stroudsburg
7. Shippensburg
8. Mansfield