Philadelphia, PA – La Salle women's soccer kicks off the 2026 regular season with a home game at McCarthy Stadium against American on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m.

La Salle was picked to finish eighth in the 2026 Atlantic 10 preseason poll as the Explorers begin their 41st season of competition.

Paul Royal enters his 24th season as the head coach. Royal is the program's all-time wins leader with 226 and has led the team to three Atlantic 10 Tournament championships (2012, 2013, 2017), four Atlantic 10 regular season championships (2011, 2012, 2014, 2017), and five NCAA Tournament appearances (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017).

During the 2025 season, the Explorers finished with a 7-8-3 overall record and a 4-4-2 mark in league play. La Salle reached the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals as the No. 8 seed, marking their 12th postseason appearance under Royal.

Rylee Henson, who was tied for the team-high in assists in 2025, and Justyce Hollenbach, the team's leading goal scorer last season, were named team captains for the 2026 campaign. 

Alexis Garcia, a 2025 A10 All-Academic selection, ranked second on the team with five goals and was third with 12 points. Garcia was also tied for second on the team with 14 shots on goal.

Kayden Williams, a 2025 A10 All-Rookie selection, enjoyed a breakout season as a freshman. Williams was tied for the team lead with five assists, ranked second on the team with 13 points, and tied for third on the squad with four goals.

Kameron Rase was tied for third on the team in 2025 with four goals and ranked fourth with eight points. Rase finished the season with a .364 shot percentage. 

Ella Cadigan (Jr./M) netted three goals last season and tallied one assist. Cadigan ranked second on the squad with 25 shots and was tied for second on the team with 14 shots on goal. She is the only returning player from last season's team to have started in all 18 games.

Anna Corsanico scored one goal last season and ranked second on the team with four assists.

Bri Lewis played 17 games in 2025 and ranked second on the team with 1,530 minutes played. During her collegiate career, Lewis has played all 90 minutes in 25 different games.

The last time La Salle and American met was on Sept. 6, 2013. The Explorers held on to earn a 3-2 win in overtime after taking a 2-0 lead in the first half. La Salle outshot American 32-3 in the contest. 

Anna Dolhansky scored two goals for the Explorers, including the game-winner in the 91st minute. Maryam Huseini had two assists for La Salle. 

The Explorers went on to win their second straight Atlantic 10 Tournament championship that season.

Since 1997, the Explorers are 16-9-4 in season openers. La Salle won seven straight season openers from 2007-13.