KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Penn State women's soccer debuted at the No. 10 position in the inaugural United Soccer Coaches poll of the 2023 season, the organization announced on Tuesday afternoon. The 10th-ranked Blue & White open the 30th season of Nittany Lion women's soccer on Thursday, August 17, against the No. 2 North Carolina Tar Heels on Jeffrey Field.
Penn State opens the season inside the top 10 following a 2022 campaign that featured the program's 500th all-time victory, 28th-consecutive NCAA Tournament Appearance, sixth-straight NCAA Third Round effort and ninth Big Ten Tournament Championship. The Blue & White return 22 letterwinners and seven starters from last year's historic squad that compiled a 15-5-3 overall record coupled with a 5-3-2 ledger against the nation's premier soccer conference.
The Blue & White stand as the highest-ranked team in the Big Ten, leading a group of five programs that were either ranked or receiving votes in the season's initial poll. Defending Big Ten regular season champion Michigan State appeared at the No. 17 position, while the Northwestern Wildcats came in at No. 18 following an NCAA Third Round appearance a season ago. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Nebraska Cornhuskers also appeared in United Soccer Coaches' first release of 2023, with both programs receiving votes.
In non-conference competition, Penn State will take on a trio of ranked foes, including a pair of opponents that share the Nittany Lions' lofty top-10 status. In addition to North Carolina's No. 2 ranking, the Blue & White will face off against the No. 9 TCU Horned Frogs and No. 24 UCF Knights in regular season action. Penn State's only open fall scrimmage will also feature a ranked United Soccer Coaches opponent, as the Nittany Lions take on the No. 16 Georgetown Hoyas on Saturday, August 12, at 6 p.m.
In total, Penn State will challenge seven programs that were either ranked or receiving votes in the preseason poll, including all four of the aforementioned Big Ten challengers. Three of Penn State's initial five matches will come against teams ranked inside the top-25, highlighted by the season-opening matchup against the Tar Heels. PSU will compete against four opponents on Jeffrey Field that were either ranked or receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll.
Founded in 1941 and based in Kansas City, Missouri, United Soccer Coaches has grown into the world's largest soccer coaches' organization that serves members at every level of the game. Each week, a panel of eight voters ranks the 25 best women's college soccer teams in the nation, with the first-place team receiving 25 points, the second-place team earning 24 points, and so on.
UNITED SOCCER COACHES PRESEASON TOP-25
FIRST PLACE VOTES IN PARENTHESES
1 | UCLA (8)
2 | North Carolina
3 | Notre Dame
4 | Duke
5 | Virginia
6 | Florida State
7 | Alabama
8 | Arkansas
9 | TCU
10 | PENN STATE
11 | Stanford
12 | South Carolina
13 | BYU
14 | Pittsburgh
15 | Texas
16 | Georgetown
17 | Michigan State
18 | Northwestern
19 | Santa Clara
20 | Memphis
21 | Saint Louis
22 | USC
23 | Harvard
24 | UCF
25 | Clemson
RV: UC Irvine, Xavier, Brown, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, SMU, Rutgers, Nebraska, Georgia, Samford
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Visit GoPSUSports.com for more information on Penn State women's soccer. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion women's soccer team on Facebook at /PSUWomensSoccer as well as Twitter and Instagram @PennStateWSOC.
The 30th Season of Penn State women's soccer is presented by the Smeal College of Business.
