LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Nationally-ranked Kutztown women's soccer was picked third in the 2023 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division Preseason poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches and announced Tuesday.
 
The Golden Bears ended last season at 11-6-4 overall and was voted 19th in the organization's final rankings. They earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament and made a historic run from that point, defeating Frostburg State and Gannon in the opening two rounds, en route to the program's second-ever Sweet 16 appearance. Kutztown fell just short of the Elite Eight and had its season end at the hands of No. 2 West Chester by a last-minute goal in the Atlantic Region Final.
 
KU's 8-4-4 PSAC record at the end of the regular season last year was good for third in the East. Head coach Erik Burstein returns three All-PSAC performers from last season, including senior Isabella Rossetti (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East), junior Bridget Curtis (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks South) and sophomore Caroline McDonald (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East).
 
Reigning PSAC champion, West Chester, was voted first with eight first-place votes, followed by Bloomsburg with one first-place vote. East Stroudsburg and Millersville are fourth and fifth, while Shepherd, Shippensburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield round out the rest of the teams in the East.
 
Kutztown's 2023 slate of games begins with two games at the Gannon Invitational at Gannon University. KU takes on Charleston (W.Va.) on Thursday, August. 31, at 3 p.m., followed by a matchup with Concord that Saturday, Sept. 2, also at 3 p.m.

2023 PSAC EAST PRESEASON POLL
Rank	Team (First-Place Votes)
1.	West Chester (8)
2.	Bloomsburg (1)
3.	KUTZTOWN
4.	East Stroudsburg
5.	Millersville
6.	Shepherd
7.	Shippensburg
8.	Lock Haven
9.	Mansfield

 

2023 PSAC WEST PRESEASON POLL
Rank	Team (First-Place Votes)
1.	Gannon (8)
2.	Slippery Rock (1)
3.	Mercyhurst
4.	IUP
5.	Seton Hill
6.	California
7.	Edinboro
8.	Pitt-Johnstown
9.	Clarion