Women's Soccer | 8/21/2026 12:00:00 PM
TRAFFORD, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - Following their 10th league title in team history and third in a row last fall, the Grove City College women's soccer program was voted first in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) preseason poll. Voted on by the conference's 13 head coaches, this year's poll was posted Friday, along with the PAC's Players to Watch List.
Grove City head coach Melissa Lamie, the 2025 PAC Coach of the Year, and the Wolverines secured 11 first-place votes and 132 total points to earn first place in the preseason balloting. Lamie has 384 wins to her credit in 33 years guiding the program.
Grove City, who is 27-0-4 in regular season conference matches the last three years, won its third consecutive PAC crown last fall. After going 10-0-1 in PAC regular season matches to earn the top seed for the conference tournament, the Wolverines topped Franciscan University in the semifinals and Waynesburg University in the title match by identical 1-0 scores to clinch their 10th league championship. The year ended with a 1-0 setback in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Illinois Tech, as Grove City finished with a 13-7-2 record.
Saint Vincent College finished second in the poll with 115 points, just in front of Waynesburg University, who had the other two first-place votes and 111 points. After reaching the PAC Tournament Championship Match for the first time since 2011, the Yellow Jackets earned a bid to the ECAC Tournament and defeated Pitt-Greensburg and Keene State to win the first ECAC title in program history.
Allegheny College totaled 90 points to place fourth in the voting, followed by Franciscan in fifth (84), Chatham University in sixth (82), Westminster College in seventh (65) and Washington & Jefferson College in eighth (62). Rounding out the poll was Geneva College in ninth (52), Hiram College (37), Bethany College (27) and Thiel College (13). Saint Francis University was not counted in the 2026 poll, but is represented by four players on the Watch List.
The 2026 season will be Saint Francis' first in the PAC, as the Red Wolves start conference play while they reclassify from Division I to Division III. Saint Francis, whose matches will not count in the conference standings while SFU reclassifies, kicks off the year Sept. 1st when the Red Wolves host Carnegie Mellon.
This season’s Players to Watch list is highlighted by 26 All-PAC players from last year, including eight First Team players, five from the Second Team and 13 Honorable Mention selections. The three major award winners from 2025, all from Grove City, are on this fall's Players to Watch list. They include senior midfielder Tori Stevenson, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, senior defender Hannah (Costa) Mitchell, last year's Defensive Player of the Year, and sophomore forward Lauren Muhanna, who was the Newcomer of th Year.
Stevenson was an offensive force in the Grove City championship season, as she became the 11th Wolverine to receive the PAC Offensive/Player award. In 11 PAC regular season outings, Stevenson registered 14 goals and 30 points to easily rank first in conference scoring. She scored at least one goal in 10 of 11 PAC matches, including a streak of six straight to close the regular season. Stevenson closed her junior year with 16 goals and 34 points in 20 matches played.
In leading the Grove City back line through a historic year, Mitchell collected the first PAC Defensive Player of the Year honor for a Wolverine since the award originated in 2023. Grove City allowed single goals in their first two league games and starting with a 2-0 triumph over Geneva on Sept. 30, the Wolverines did not allow one goal in posting 11 consecutive shutouts to finish off the regular season and PAC Tournament. Grove City would outscore PAC teams 49-2, the fewest goals allowed by a team in league play since Westminster only allowed one in nine PAC contests in 2021.
Muhanna's recognition as the top Newcomer made her the first Grove City player to be recognized with that accolade since Gianna D'Amato in the spring of 2021. The forward formed a dynamic 1-2 scoring punch up front for the Wolverines with Stevenson, as she led the PAC with nine assists, eight coming in conference action. Muhanna completed her freshman year with six goals and nine assists for 21 points to rank seventh in the conference.
The Players to Watch list also includes 24 members of the Fall 2025 PAC Academic Honor Roll, which honors student-athletes on varsity sports teams who posted a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.6 or higher on a 4.0 scale during their semester of competition.
The PAC's regular season will wrap up on Wednesday, October 28th, with the six-team PAC Championship Tournament beginning with quarterfinal action on Saturday, Oct. 31st. The championship match is scheduled for Saturday, November 7th.
| 2026 PAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll (Predicted order of finish) |
| School (first-place votes) |
Points |
2025 record (conference) |
| 1. Grove City College (11) |
132 |
13-7-2 (10-0-1 PAC) |
| 2. Saint Vincent College |
115 |
15-4-1 (8-2-1 PAC) |
| 3. Waynesburg University (2) |
111 |
17-3-2 (8-1-2 PAC) |
| 4. Allegheny College |
90 |
6-9-5 (5-3-3 PAC) |
| 5. Franciscan University |
84 |
6-9-4 (5-3-3 PAC) |
| 6. Chatham University |
82 |
10-6-3 (7-4 PAC) |
| 7. Westminster College |
65 |
3-9-5 (3-5-3 PAC) |
| 8. Washington & Jefferson College |
62 |
6-9-3 (3-5-3 PAC) |
| 9. Geneva College |
52 |
6-7-5 (5-4-2 PAC) |
| 10. Hiram College |
37 |
5-13 (2-9 PAC) |
| 11. Bethany College |
27 |
2-14 (1-10 PAC) |
| 12. Thiel College |
13 |
0-17 (0-11 PAC) |
| Saint Francis University* |
--- |
0-14-2 (0-9-2 NEC) |
* - Ineligible for PAC Championship as school reclassifies from Division I
2026 PAC Women's Soccer Players to Watch
1=2025 1st Team All-PAC / 2=2nd Team All-PAC / HM = Honorable Mention
| Allegheny College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Casey Bender (HM) |
Sr. |
F |
Allentown, Pa./Emmaus |
| Serena Carnahan |
So. |
M |
Plum, Pa./Plum |
| Karley Johnson |
Sr. |
D |
Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Community |
| Katherine Surdykowski (1) |
Sr. |
M |
Chesterfield, N.J./Northern Burlington County Regional |
| Bethany College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Brionna Bash |
Sr. |
F |
Niles, Ohio/Niles McKinley |
| Angelina Clayborn |
Sr. |
M |
Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills |
| Hope Fair |
Sr. |
GK |
Dunnville, Ontario/Lakeshore Catholic |
| Jordan Palmer |
Sr. |
D |
East Liverpool, Ohio/Beaver Local |
| Ava Wilson |
Fr. |
D |
Toronto, Canada/Lakeshore Catholic |
| Chatham University |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Elizabeth Gallup (HM) |
Jr. |
M/F |
Pittsburgh, Pa./Moon |
| Sarah Vescio (HM) |
Jr. |
D/M |
Pittsburgh, Pa./Seneca Valley |
| Franciscan University |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Isabella Corley |
Sr. |
D |
Kansas City, Mo./Faith Christian Academy |
| Catherine DeWolf (HM) |
Jr. |
D |
Haymarket, Va./Seton |
| Theresa English |
Grad. |
F |
Modesto, Calif./James C. Enochs |
| Callie Giguere |
So. |
GK |
Piqua, Ohio/Lehman Catholic |
| Elise Winogradoff |
Sr. |
M |
Stormville, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes |
| Geneva College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Noelle Beare (HM) |
Sr. |
M |
Mansfield, Pa./Mansfield Christian |
| Natalie Foster (HM) |
So. |
GK |
Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg |
| Renae Singh |
Sr. |
F |
Freedom, Pa./Freedom |
| Cassidy Stopchick (HM) |
So. |
D |
Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley |
| Abby Stover |
Sr. |
M |
Pittsburgh, Pa./Eden Christian Academy |
| Grove City College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Hannah Mitchell (1) |
Sr. |
D |
Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg Christian |
| Emily Horst (HM) |
So. |
F |
Leesburg, Va./Loudoun County |
| Lauren Muhanna (1) |
So. |
F |
Pittsburgh, Pa./Moon |
| Tori Stevenson (1) |
Sr. |
F |
Butler, Pa./Butler |
| Meghan Tischler |
Sr. |
D |
Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park |
| Hiram College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Vanessa Anthony |
Sr. |
M |
Mentor, Ohio/North |
| Kali Baker |
Sr. |
M |
North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville |
| Becca Devericks (HM) |
Sr. |
D |
WInston Salem, N.C./Calvary Day |
| Madie Kennedy |
Jr. |
GK |
Superior, Colo./Monarch |
| Reagan Mory |
Sr. |
F |
Garrettsville, Ohio/Crestwood |
| Saint Francis University |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Meredith Artz |
So. |
M |
Monroe Township, N.J./Monroe Township |
| Riley Cerqua |
Sr. |
D |
Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny |
| Mercedez Paino |
Sr. |
M |
Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy |
| Caterina Schiavo |
Sr. |
D |
Sicklerville, N.J./Winslow Township |
| Saint Vincent College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Ava Azurin (HM) |
So. |
D |
Aldie, Va./Lightridge |
| Addie Fisher (2) |
Sr. |
M |
Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley |
| Riley Kerr |
So. |
F |
Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic |
| Emma Koller (2) |
Sr. |
F |
Baltimore, Md./Eastern Tech |
| Rilyn Warner (2) |
Jr. |
GK |
Granville, Ohio/Watkins Memorial |
| Thiel College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Imogen deBlois (HM) |
Jr. |
F |
Hubbard, Ohio/Howland |
| Ashley Ross |
Jr. |
D |
Springdale, Pa./Springdale |
| Liz Scheeff |
Fr. |
M |
Olmsted Falls, Ohio/Olmsted Falls |
| Natalie Sprague |
Fr. |
D |
Olmsted Falls, Ohio/Olmsted Falls |
| Washington & Jefferson College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Rylin Bugosh (HM) |
So. |
F |
Mount Pleasant, Pa./Mount Pleasant |
| Dove Corrette-Bennett |
Sr. |
M |
New Castle, Pa./Neshannock |
| Maura Heberle |
Sr. |
F |
Georgetown, Pa./South Side Beaver |
| Alexa Taylor |
Jr. |
F |
Aliquippa, Pa./OLSH |
| Ally Zidek (HM) |
So. |
D |
New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Area |
| Waynesburg University |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Lex Greenlief (1) |
Sr. |
GK |
Chester, W.Va./Oak Glen |
| Waverly Lorne (1) |
Sr. |
D |
New Providence, N.J./Governor Livingston |
| Julz Mohrbacher (1) |
Sr. |
F |
Freedom, Pa./Freedom |
| Abby Ngugi (1) |
Jr. |
D |
Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson |
| Amanda Pepe (2) |
Jr. |
F |
Mantua, N.J. Gloucester County Institute of Technology |
| Westminster College |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Jocelyn Gratchic |
Sr. |
F |
Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville |
| Hailey McQueen |
So. |
D |
Sellersville, Pa./Faith Christian Academy |
| Giulianna Russell (2) |
Sr. |
D |
Kinston, N.C./Wayne Christian |