FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The Concord University women's soccer team has been predicted to finish third in the Mountain East Conference South Division after a vote of the MEC coaches was released in the preseason poll Thursday afternoon.
THE POLL
| Place |
Team (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
West Virginia State (8) |
58 |
| 2. |
Charleston (4) |
51 |
| 3. |
Concord |
43 |
| 4. |
West Virginia Wesleyan |
30 |
| 5. |
Glenville State |
22 |
| 6. |
Shawnee State |
12 |
MEC NORTH POLL: Fairmont State (59, 9), Frostburg State (51, 3), West Liberty (51), Point Park (42), Davis & Elkins (21), Wheeling (18)
2025 REVIEW
CU advanced to the MEC Tournament Semifinals last season after finishing second in the MEC South, defeating Point Park 3-0 in the MEC Quarterfinals along the way. The Mountain Lions posted a record of 11-6-3 which marked the eighth straight season of double-digit wins for the Maroon and Gray. Current University of Cincinnati player
Tiana Campbell earned All-American honors at season's end while junior defender
Ella Rowell joined Campbell on the All-Atlantic Region Team.
2026 SCHEDULE
This fall's schedule will be very challenging as Concord opens up with two top-15 ranked teams in Division II, August 27 at Catawba and August 30 at Lenoir-Rhyne. The MEC opener is at Charleston September 6. The Mountain Lions' home opener will be September 9 against West Virginia Wesleyan. The first of two matchups against MEC South preseason favorite West Virginia State comes September 16 on the road. Defending MEC Champion Fairmont State visits Athens October 11. Overall, CU plays 16 conference games with 10 coming against MEC South foes and six more versus the MEC North.
THE RETURNERS
Rowell returns to lead a strong back line that only gave up 27 goals. Rowell contributed a goal and six assists from her right back position in earning All-MEC First Team last fall. Junior midfielder
Stephanie Tovar was CU's second-leading scorer as she netted five goals and notched three assists in her first season at Concord after transferring from Malone. Other stabilizers in the midfield are sophomores Daily Cook (four goals) and
Molly Watters (two goals, two assists). Senior defender
Katie Garratt is the most-experienced player, having appeared in 43 games in the Maroon and Gray. And in net, junior
Maddie Loughborough started 15 games last season, sporting a career-best 1.27 goals-against average and tallying six clean sheets. Senior defender
Lotte Fasen has played in 29 games over three years at CU while junior midfielder
Lilly Lucas has 28 appearances in her career.
THE NEWCOMERS
The most notable addition to the women's soccer program is first-year head coach Noah Rhodes who takes over for
Luke Duffy on the sidelines. Rhodes added Jason Koster and Brandon Nyagurungo to his first staff. And the trio of coaches brought in 16 new players. Among the first-time Mountain Lions are transfers, sophomore midfielder
Olivia Bartlett (Hertfordshire, England/Union University), junior midfielder Evan Harriott (Beverley, England/Hawkeye Community College), sophomore midfielder
Alex Kelly (Sunderland, England/LSU Shreverport) and sophomore defender
Ebony King (Newcastle, England/USC Lancaster). The freshmen include local and in-state natives forward
Carissa Kohel (Narrows, Va./Narrows), defender
Cadence Owen (Bluefield, Va./Graham), midfielder
Lizzy Stegmaier (Gerrardstown, West Virginia/Musselman) and
Abigail Torman (St. Albans, West Virginia/St. Albans)
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