Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/8/26
From Press Release
The Slippery Rock University and West Chester University women’s lacrosse teams have been voted No. 1 in the Western and Eastern divisions, respectively, in the 2026 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Polls. The Rock earns the top spot for the first time, while West Chester makes it three consecutive No. 1 selections this spring.
The polls are voted on by the conference’s women’s lacrosse head coaches.
Slippery Rock sits at the top of the Western Division poll after collecting five first-place votes, with Seton Hill (one) earning the No. 2 spot, snapping a streak of four years at No. 1. In the Eastern Division poll, West Chester received six first-place votes, with No. 2 East Stroudsburg receiving a single vote.
Find the complete polls as well as division outlooks below.
Eastern Division (# of first place votes)
1. West Chester (6)
2. East Stroudsburg (1)
3. Kutztown
4. Millersville
5. Shippensburg
6. Bloomsburg
7. Shepherd
Western Division (# of first place votes)
1. Slippery Rock (5)
2. Seton Hill (1)
3. Lock Haven
4. IUP
5. Gannon
6. Edinboro
EASTERN DIVISION
For the third straight season, West Chester was voted No. 1 in the Eastern Division poll. The defending 2025 PSAC Champions, the Golden Rams compiled a record of 19-1 overall (12-0 PSAC) last spring, with the only loss coming in the Atlantic Region Championship Game, 16-13, to Slippery Rock. WCU as a team scored 368 goals in 2025, the most in the conference, and also tallied the highest margin of victory in the PSAC (8.8). All-Conference First Team honoree Sydney Wasdick returns after scoring the second-most goals on the team (65) while Second Team honorees Kendall Fortune (50 goals, 17 assists) and Madeline Edinger (27 ground balls, 13 caused turnovers) should also contribute to this spring’s squad.
The East Stroudsburg Warriors (15-6, 10-2 PSAC) were voted No. 2 in the poll. ESU returns both the East Division Defensive Player of the Year in goalie Abby Simonetti as well as Freshman of the Year Sadie Kauffman. Simonetti led the conference in saves with 246 and save percentage at .560 while ranking third in goals against average at 9.42. Kauffman’s 103 goals and 129 points last spring were both second-most in the PSAC and she also tallied 26 assists. Other returning All-Conference players include First Teamers Lauren Hallman (38 goals, 14 assists) and Molly Atwell (25 ground balls and 40 caused turnovers) in addition to Second Team honorees Ariana Tucci (51 goals, 19 assists) and Emily Varilla (30 ground balls, 32 caused turnovers.)
The Kutztown Golden Bears (9-8 overall, 6-6 PSAC) claim the No. 3 spot in this year’s poll. KU returns just one All-Conference honoree from last spring – Second Team defender Summer Davis, who tallied 55 ground balls and 41 caused turnovers (both fourth-most in the entire conference) As a team last spring, Kutztown allowed just 180 goals and held opponents to a .363 shot percentage, both the lowest totals in the PSAC.
WESTERN DIVISION
The top spot in the 2026 Western Division Preseason Poll belongs to Slippery Rock, who compiled an overall record of 18-3 (10-0 PSAC) last spring. The Rock advanced all the way to the NCAA national semifinals last spring before finally falling, 15-13, to Adelphi. The team was the Atlantic Region champion after a win over West Chester, and plenty of talent returns in 2026. 2025 Western Division Defensive Player of the Year Paige Jenkins is back, one of five Western Division First Team All-Conference returnees that also include Grace Rotter (53 goals, 29 assists in 2025), Reagan Richeson (50 goals, 11 assists), Isabella Buono (31 goals, 18 assists), and Leora Owings (27 goals, 22 assists.) The Rock allowed just 181 goals in 21 games (8.6 per game), the lowest average in the PSAC, and scored 302, second only to West Chester for the conference lead.
