Built for the Standard: Misericordia Women’s Soccer Ready to Embrace the Challenge
By: Matt Flanagan | SportzWire | August 18, 2026 | Photo courtesy Jake Speicher
Expectations have become part of the culture surrounding Misericordia University women’s soccer.
The Cougars will enter the 2026 season ranked first in the MAC Freedom preseason coaches’ poll, earning five first-place votes and 61 points. Defending conference champion Stevens finished only one point behind with four first-place votes, setting the stage for another highly competitive race at the top.
For Misericordia, however, the preseason recognition represents respect for what the program has built, not a guarantee of what lies ahead.
The Cougars finished 15-4-2 last season, went undefeated in conference play and earned an at-large invitation to the NCAA Tournament. They defeated Stevens, 1-0, during the regular season before falling to the Ducks in the MAC Freedom championship match. Misericordia’s season ended after playing nationally ranked Rowan to a 1-1 draw in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Now, head coach Mark Stauffer’s program begins a new chapter.
The Cougars must replace several accomplished seniors from a team that scored 58 goals, allowed only 13 and recorded 14 shutouts. That group includes leading scorer Olivia Maniskas, two-time MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Year Brenna Field, all-conference defender Haleigh Wintersteen and four-year starting goalkeeper Lauren Mondor.
Misericordia will also be without senior midfielder Lily Heistand due to injury. Heistand earned first-team All-MAC Freedom and third-team All-Region honors after recording seven goals and three assists last season. Her absence removes another proven scorer and experienced presence from the lineup.
The greatest uncertainty may be in goal.
Mondor started all 21 matches last season and finished with a .67 goals-against average, an .800 save percentage and seven individual shutouts. Both of Misericordia’s returning backup goalkeepers transferred during the offseason, leaving the Cougars preparing to entrust the position to a freshman.
It is a significant responsibility for a first-year player, particularly within a program carrying championship expectations. Her development, and the ability of the players in front of her to provide stability, will be one of the most important storylines of the season.
Still, Misericordia is not interested in lowering its expectations.
These Cougars are tough. They hold one another accountable, understand the standard associated with the program and have put together a demanding offseason in preparation for this opportunity. The work was not driven by a preseason ranking. It was driven by a group determined to be ready when the season arrived.
That mentality will be especially important as returning players step into larger roles.
Senior forward Caelan Gallagher enters the season following a breakout junior campaign. The Dallas graduate recorded seven goals and three assists while earning honorable mention All-MAC Freedom recognition. Her athleticism and ability to pressure opposing defenses should make her one of the central pieces of Misericordia’s attack.
Junior forward Alyssa Steenback gives the Cougars another proven scoring threat. The Abington Heights graduate started all 19 matches in which she appeared last season, finishing with five goals and two assists on her way to second-team All-MAC Freedom honors. She also delivered Misericordia’s goal against Rowan in the NCAA Tournament.
Gallagher and Steenback combined for 12 goals last season, but their importance will extend beyond offensive production. Both will be asked to help lead a group establishing its own identity while remaining connected to the standards of the teams that came before it.
The Cougars should also benefit from the experience of returning players such as Addysen Fitzgerald, Samantha Bardonner, Larissa Evans, Ella Cipriani, Kimberly Rudy and Julia Hayward.
Fitzgerald started all 21 matches last season and will be especially important in organizing a defensive unit replacing Field and Wintersteen. Players who previously filled complementary roles will now receive opportunities to become central contributors.
That transition will require patience, but it also brings energy and competition.
The preseason ranking reflects the depth, culture and consistency Misericordia has developed under Stauffer. The Cougars have reached every MAC Freedom championship match since Stevens joined the conference in 2019 and won four consecutive conference titles before last season’s defeat.
That history carries weight, but this team cannot rely upon it.
Stevens remains the most immediate challenger after winning the 2025 conference championship. Arcadia, Lebanon Valley and conference newcomer Marywood also received considerable support in the preseason poll. There will be few easy matches in an increasingly competitive MAC Freedom.
Misericordia opens the season September 1 at Susquehanna before traveling to Gettysburg. The Cougars will make their home debut September 6 against nearby rival Wilkes at Mangelsdorf Field.
By then, the preseason ranking will no longer matter.
The Cougars understand that being selected first only makes them the team everyone else wants to beat. They will enter the year replacing decorated seniors, breaking in a freshman goalkeeper and moving forward without one of their most accomplished returning players.
But they will also enter it together.
This is a tough, close-knit group that expects a great deal from one another. Its players have worked throughout the offseason to become stronger, more prepared and more connected for the challenges ahead.
Misericordia may look different in 2026, but its standard remains unchanged.
The Cougars were picked to finish first. Now they are ready to show why.
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