PITTSBURGH, PA. - Tomorrow the Chatham Women's Soccer team will be heading to Ohio to compete in their first match of the 2026 season. 

The Cougars finished last season with a 10-6-3 record and 7-4 mark in conference play. The team's season ended in the quarterfinals of the PAC tournament in penalty shoot outs. This year the team is focused on building consistency and sharpening late-game execution to further their post season success.  

They are predicted to finish sixth in the conference this year, and with 11 new players joining the roster, Coach Betsy Warren is excited to see how the team chemistry will develop. "Our preseason and first few games are really the discovery part of our season. We lost some big personality players but have returned a solid core and added 11 new players to the mix so early on, the season will be about seeing how all the pieces fit together" says Coach Warren. 

Warren has been with the Cougars for 15 seasons now, and she is ready to take the lessons she has learned from last year into the 2026 season. Warren sets high expectations for her team. "Last season was a season of growth for our team and current returners, our younger players got a lot of experience and grew into consistent competitors as the season went on but definitely aren't looking to settle for anything less than advancing as far as possible in their season this year."  

Although the team had a winning record last season, that does not stop the motivation to work even harder to continue the growth. No season is like the last and Warren is ready for what this year has in store. "Last year's results are there for reflection and learning, but we are a new team, going into a new year with new challenges and opportunities and will take on this season one game at a time" says Coach Warren. This new team will have to function as one cohesive, dynamic unit. 

With this first game coming up, the Cougars will have to find their style of play that works best for the team as a whole. Style of play is important, however, it is grit and determination that turn the close games into wins. Warren emphasizes this, "This preseason has been a great measure in what we are capable of just based on talent alone, but talent will only take us so far and we are looking forward to how we will roll our sleeves up and compete as we navigate the season."  

The Cougars open their season this Wednesday, September 2nd at 5PM when they hit the road to face off against the College of Wooster.