KUTZTOWN, Pa. – For the third season in-a-row, Kutztown field hockey is favored to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference as KU was tabbed first in the preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches and released Tuesday.
 
The Golden Bears had a record-breaking 20-2 campaign that featured the most wins in a single season in program history, the longest winning streak (19 games), and new single-season program records for goals (101) and assists (67). They also led the nation in penalty corners with 304 (more than 13 per game) and allowed a Division II-low 15 goals all season.
 
Head coach Marci Scheuing and her program are hoping last season's preseason poll selection and ensuing finish atop the conference following the regular season come to fruition again in 2026, but this time, hoist the PSAC trophy. The Maroon and Gold were the top seed in the conference tournament and finished runner-up to Shippensburg, while also earning another trip to the NCAA Final Four.
 
Kutztown received seven of the possible 10 first place votes with second place Shippensburg netting two and third place West Chester garnering one. East Stroudsburg was voted fourth and Bloomsburg fifth. The final five spots in the 10-team field was Millersville at six, Mansfield at seven, IUP eighth, Frostburg State ninth and Slippery Rock at 10.
 
The Golden Bears return three All-Americans from last season, including senior midfielder Jessica Traynor (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen), redshirt-junior defender Olivia Kirkpatrick (Annville, Pa./Palmyra) and junior midfielder Marissa Rice (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg).
 
Kutztown's 2026 regular season campaign kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 3, on the road at Adelphi at 3 p.m. KU then hosts a four-team tournament at Andre Reed Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5, and Sunday, Sept. 6. The Maroon and Gold will first play Saint Michael's that Saturday at 11 a.m., and then take on Southern Connecticut State Sunday at 1:30 p.m.