Roster | Schedule | 2025 Statistics

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's soccer team was voted to repeat as Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division champions in the preseason coaches' poll, the conference announced Wednesday.

The Rock tallied five first-place votes, narrowly edging out Gannon University, who slots in second with the other four first-place votes. Indiana University (Pa.) was voted third, followed by Edinboro, Seton Hill University, Lock Haven University, Clarion, Pitt-Johnstown and California (Pa).  

The 2026 season marks the first campaign that Lock Haven will play as a full-time participant in the PSAC West since 2009.

In the Eastern Division, West Chester University took home seven first-place votes ahead of Kutztown University and Bloomsburg University, who grabbed the final first-place vote. Reigning PSAC Tournament champion Shepherd University slots in fourth, followed by Millersville University, East Stroudsburg University. Shippensburg University and Mansfield.

2025 IN A GLANCE
The Rock climbed back to the top of the PSAC West for the first time since 2019, and the fifth time in program history with a 12-4-1 record overall, and a 12-1-1 ledger in the division. After back-to-back losses to begin the season, Slippery Rock won 12 out of its next 14 games and went on a nine-game unbeaten streak, the fifth longest in team history.

SRU's season came to an end after a defeat to Millersville in the PSAC Tournament Quarterfinals.

A CHANCE TO REPEAT
Slippery Rock has a chance to achieve a feat only done once in program history as The Rock look to repeat as PSAC West champions for the first time since 2003 and 2004. During those seasons, SRU went 28-6-4 and claimed the PSAC Tournament championship in 2003 with a 4-3 victory over Lock Haven in the PSAC Tournament title game.

HERLIHY OPENS 2026 23rd ON D2 WINS LIST
Already the winningest coach in PSAC history, Slippery Rock head coach Noreen Herlihy heads into the season ranked 23rd on Division II's career wins ledger with 317. Herlihy, the 11th winningest active coach in Division II, is two victories away from passing Lewis Theobald (Central Missouri / 2007-26) for 22nd place. Herlihy is among the best of the best on virtually every NCAA wins list. In her first season back at The Rock, Herlihy won PSAC West Coach of the Year for the fourth time with SRU and fifth time overall.
 
Herlihy's NCAA Ranks
Active (D2): 11th
Active (All Divisions): 65th
All-Time (D2): 23rd
All-Time (All Divisions): 106th (out of 4,062 coaches in NCAA database)

YOUTH MOVEMENT
Similar to a season ago, Slippery Rock's roster will feature a plethora of youth introduced by Herlihy as 21 of 32 players (65.6 percent) on the team are underclassmen that includes a freshman class of 13 athletes.

SENIOR CLASS
Slippery Rock brings back two of its three goalkeepers from a season ago as Leah Allman and Allie Burkholder return for the 2026 campaign. Allman took home All-PSAC West Second Team honors after starting all 17 games in goal in 2025, finishing with a .763 save percentage, 1.1 goals against average and seven combined shutouts. Burkholder appeared in one game and made one save in a 3-0 win at Pitt-Johnstown.

Allman enters the 2026 season approaching the top of numerous SRU all-time leaderboards. The goalkeeper ranks fourth in wins (33), tied for fourth in shutouts (20.5), fourth in goalie games started (54) and fifth in saves (177).

SRU's leader in assists from 2025 returns as Sophia Palermo will look to build on her eight assists and 12 points in her junior campaign where she was selected to the All-PSAC West Second Team. Joining Palermo in the midfield is Bailey McGee, who featured in 13 games and made 12 starts, notching six points on two goals and two assists.  

Forwards Lindsey Price and Allie Burns each grabbed multiple goals in their junior seasons. Price was one of nine players to play in all 17 games for SRU last season and had eight points on four goals, the fourth highest total on the team. Burns saw the field in seven matches and found the net twice for four points. Burns was one of eight players to score multiple goals in 2025 for The Rock.

Irene Doleno returns for her senior season after playing 10 games and starting seven while earning one assist from Slippery Rock's backline last year.

Leah Walter enters the season as the lone graduate student on SRU as she returns to compete for The Rock and complete her master's degree in Lifelong Wellness and Innovative Leadership. In 2025, Walter appeared in seven games and took two shots, landing one on goal.

JUNIOR CLASS
Defenders Jordyn Constable and midfielder Libby Earley combined to play 30 games last season, with 18 being classified as starts. Earley found the back of the net once, along with one assist for three points in 831 minutes (59.4 mpg), while Constable played 733 minutes (45.8 mpg) in a key role for SRU's backline that conceded the fourth fewest goals in the PSAC in 2025.

Chloe Flynn returns for her junior year after logging two shots in 82 minutes over five matches.

SOPHOMORE CLASS
Kailyn Schulte enters her sophomore campaign after earning All-PSAC West Second Team honors as a freshman defender. The last freshman to earn All-PSAC recognition for SRU was Nina King in 2021. Joining Schulte on the backline are Lillian Snyder and Lilia Battalini, who both played in all 17 games last year. Synder started each matchup and grabbed one assist, while Battalini earned 13 starts and totaled four points on one goal and two assists.

Abby Paterline was Slippery Rock's main forward in 2025, starting all 17 matches and found the back of the net six times, the second most on The Rock. Paterline also dished out two assists for 14 total points.

Miley Kariotis and Eden Williams combined to play 27 games and make five starts during their freshmen campaigns. Kariotis scored one goal, a game-winning goal against Clarion at Egli Field over her 381 minutes on the field, while Williams notched one assist in 348 total minutes.

Kylie Dutkovich saw the field in five games and played 112 total minutes.

USING THE TRANSFER PORTAL
The Rock brought in one player from the transfer portal for the 2026 season. Rosie Willmott Joyce will be one of four goalkeepers on the roster after transferring in from Eastern New Mexico University. Willmott Joyce has played in 30 games with 28 starts in her career for the Greyhounds.

INCOMING FRESHMEN
For the second consecutive season, Slippery Rock is welcoming one of the largest freshmen classes in program history as 13 athletes will be making their collegiate debuts. The last time SRU had more freshmen on its roster was in 2009 (14).

2026 SRU Freshman Class
Name-Position-Hometown (in Pennsylvania unless noted)
Addison Bell – Midfielder – Avonmore
Ryann Bumsted – Defender/Midfielder – Mount Wolf
Jilly Deivert – Midfielder/Forward – Northumberland
Bella Gianfrancesco – Midfielder – Pittsburgh
Aubrey Grater – Forward – Monaca
Summer Hill – Forward – Pittsburgh
Gianna Revetta – Midfielder – Plum
Molly Interthal – Defender – Hampton Township
Peyton Los – Midfielder – Saver
Sam Papcunik – Defender – Summerhill
Madisyn Sedor – Defender – Sykesville
Cecelia Wolford – Forward – Butler
Kaylen Yaracs – Goalkeeper – Butler

2026 SCHEDULE
Slippery Rock's 2026 schedule includes an 18-game slate with two non-conference games and a rigorous 16-game round robin in the PSAC West.

The Rock will face off against two opponents that received votes in the United Soccer Coaches' preseason poll. Gannon begins the season ranked No. 23 and Fairmont State University also received votes in the poll. Gannon and Fairmont State are the two teams on Slippery Rock's 2026 schedule to make the NCAA Tournament last year, with each team falling in the second round.

If Slippery Rock finishes the regular season in the top five spots of the PSAC West standings, The Rock will compete in their 16th consecutive PSAC Tournament beginning Oct. 31.

2026 Slippery Rock women's soccer schedule:
* = PSAC West Contest
Fairmont State (Aug. 27: Away)
Lock Haven (Aug. 30: Home | Oct. 24: Away) *
Edinboro (Sept. 2: Home | Sept. 30: Away) *
Frostburg State (Sept. 5: Home)
No. 23 Gannon (Sept. 9: Away | Oct. 21: Home) *
Pitt-Johnstown (Sept. 12: Home | Oct. 10: Away) *
Clarion (Sept. 16: Home | Oct. 7: Away) *
Seton Hill (Sept. 19: Away | Oct. 14: Home) *
California (Pa.) (Sept. 23: Home | Oct. 17: Away) *
IUP (Sept. 26: Home | Oct. 28: Away) *

Schedule notes
• Eight of SRU's nine home games will be featured on the grass at Egli Field.
• The Rock's contest vs. California (Pa.) on Sept. 23  will be played at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
• In the last seven years, Slippery Rock has put together an impressive 43-9-13 (.827) record at home.
• Five of SRU's first seven games will be played at home.
• Senior Day: Sept. 12 vs. Pitt-Johnstown

2026 PSAC Preseason Coaches' Poll
First-place votes in parentheses
West Division
1) THE ROCK (5)
2) Gannon (4)
3) IUP
4) Edinboro
5) Seton Hill
6) Lock Haven
7) Clarion
8) Pitt-Johnstown
9) California (Pa.)
 
East Division
1) West Chester (7)
2) Kutztown
3) Bloomsburg (1)
4) Shepherd
5) Millersville
6) East Stroudsburg
7) Shippensburg
8) Mansfield




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