Coaches poll puts Pitt women’s soccer at No. 11 before start of 2025 season

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt women’s soccer team has been ranked 11th in the ACC Women’s Soccer Coaches Poll.

Despite the ranking, the Panthers have shown consistent performance, recording 10 or more wins in four of the past five seasons and totaling 62 victories since the start of the 2020-21 season.

Pitt returns 12 letterwinners from the 2024 squad that finished the year with a 9-6-3 record. However, the team has lost five of its top six goal scorers from last season. Key returning players include goalie Ellie Breech, outside back Olivia Lee, forward Lucia Wells, forward Lola Abraham, and midfielder Magali Gagne.

The Panthers will open their season at home against Xavier on Thursday, August 14. Xavier qualified for the 2024 NCAA Tournament, making it a challenging start for Pitt. Pitt’s home schedule is packed with high-profile matches, including games against No. 16 Santa Clara on August 31, No. 7 Stanford on September 14, and No. 2 Notre Dame on October 30.

The ACC remains a powerhouse in women’s soccer, with eight teams ranked in the top 25 of the United Soccer Coaches Poll, and two others receiving votes. The top four teams in the preseason poll are from the ACC, with six teams in the top 10. Pitt is set to face six ACC teams ranked in the preseason top 25, including five games against top 10 opponents.

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