Penn State Tabbed as 2023 Big Ten Women's Soccer Favorite

ROSEMONT, Ill. –

Penn State has been selected as the favorite to win the 2023 Big Ten Conference women’s soccer championship, according to the annual preseason poll of the conference’s 14 head coaches released on Tuesday.

The defending Big Ten Tournament Champion Nittany Lions, who have their ninth tournament title and advanced to the third round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, have been chosen first in every Big Ten preseason coaches’ poll since 2003. 

Northwestern, who finished second in the Big Ten standings in 2022 and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament finished second, while Rutgers was voted third, after making its 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance a season ago. 

Michigan State and Wisconsin completed the top five. The Spartans claimed their first Big Ten soccer title in school history in 2022, while Wisconsin finished third in the league table last season. 

Three Big ten teams will enter the 2023 season ranked or receiving votes in the preseason United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll, led by No. 10 Penn State, No. 17 Michigan State, and No. 18 Northwestern. Rutgers and Nebraska also received votes in the preseason poll.

Also on Tuesday, the conference unveiled the 2023 Big Ten Players to Watch List, as selected by the conference coaches. Ten of the student-athletes on the 2023 Big Ten Players to Watch List are returning all-conference selections, including two of last season’s individual award recipients — Wisconsin’s Emma Jaskaniec (Big Ten Midfielder of the Year) and Northwestern’s Caterina Regazzoni (Big Ten Freshman of the Year).

The 2023 campaign will kick off on Thursday, with all 14 teams in action. Among the fixtures on the opening night slate, No. 10 Penn State will face an early test, as it welcomes No. 2 North Carolina to Happy Valley (7 p.m. on BTN). Purdue and Michigan will also meet ranked foes, as the Wolverines travel west to face No. 22 USC (6 p.m. on PAC-12 Network), while Purdue hosts No. 24 Central Florida (8 p.m. on B1G+).

The 2023 Big Ten women’s soccer composite schedule can be found online at bigten.org, while the complete 2023 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll and Players to Watch List is as follows:

2023 BIG TEN WOMEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL

1.    Penn State

2.    Northwestern

3.    Rutgers

4.    Michigan State

5.    Wisconsin

6.    Nebraska

7.    Ohio State

8.    Michigan

9.    Minnesota

10.    Iowa

11.    Maryland

12.    Purdue

T13.    Illinois

T13.    Indiana

2023 BIG TEN WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST

Kennedy Berschel, Sr., M, Illinois

Ella Karolak, Jr., D, Illinois

Makala Woods, Sr., F, Illinois

Jaime Gerstenberg, Jr., GK, Indiana 

Zoe Tiger, Sr., D, Indiana

Paige Webber, Gr., F, Indiana

Samantha Cary, Gr., D, Iowa

Macy Enneking, Sr., GK, Iowa

Meike Ingles, RS-Jr., F, Iowa

Liz Beardsley, Jr., GK, Maryland 

Catherine DeRosa, Sr., M, Maryland

Lauren Wrigley, Jr., M, Maryland

Avery Kalitta, Jr., M, Michigan

Jenna Lang, So., M, Michigan

Aniyah League, So., D, Michigan

Raegan Cox, Gr., D, Michigan State

Justina Gaynor, Sr., M, Michigan State

Emerson Sargeant, So., M, Michigan State

Sophia Boman, Sr., M, Minnesota

Abi Frandsen, Sr., D, Minnesota 

Megan Plashcko, Gr., GK, Minnesota

Eleanor Dale, F, Sr., Nebraska

Gwen Lane, D, Sr., Nebraska

Sarah Weber, F, Jr., Nebraska

Josie Aulicino, Sr., M, Northwestern

Meg Boade, Sr., M, Northwestern 

Caterina Regazzoni, So., M, Northwestern

Kailyn Dudukovich, Jr., F, Ohio State

Sydney Jones, Jr., D, Ohio State

Peyton McNamara, Sr., M, Ohio State

Cori Dyke, RS-Sr., M, Penn State 

Payton Linnehan, RS-Sr., M, Penn State

Kate Wiesner, RS-Sr., D, Penn State

Kayla Budish, So., F, Purdue

Gracie Dunaway, Jr., F/M, Purdue

Emily Mathews, Sr., M, Purdue

Sara Brocious, Sr., M, Rutgers

Becci Fluchel, Sr., M, Rutgers

Riley Tiernan, Jr., F, Rutgers

Emma Jaskaniec, Sr., F, Wisconsin

Aryssa Mahrt, Sr, F, Wisconsin

Macy Monticello, Sr, D, Wisconsin