CHARLESTON – The Charleston Southern women's soccer team landed five players on the Big South Preseason Players to Watch List, the conference announced Wednesday afternoon.

Goalkeeper Avery Mason, defender Delaney Evers, midfielder Hailey Swenson, midfielder Rachel Gopalakrishnan, and defender Cadance Bell all earned preseason honors.

Mason enters her third season with the Buccaneers program. Last season, the Andover, Kansas native earned Big South Defensive Player of the Week honors on September 2 and September 22 and was named to the Big South Midseason Watch List. Mason started all 18 matches in goal and posted a 6-8-4 record with three shutouts. She logged 1,620 minutes while making 81 saves and finished with a .736 save percentage and a 1.62 goals-against average.

Evers is beginning her third year at Charleston Southern. During the 2025 season, she was named to the Big South Top Returners to Watch List. Evers appeared in 16 matches with 13 starts and logged more than 1,000 minutes defensively.

Swenson is entering her sophomore season after a stellar freshman campaign in 2025. She earned Big South Freshman of the Week honors on September 15 and was named to the Big South Midseason Watch List. Swenson appeared in all 18 matches with 14 starts and recorded two goals and one assist for five points. The Newnan, Georgia native scored against The Citadel (Sept. 11) and Presbyterian (Oct. 29) and finished with 17 shots and eight on goal.

Gopalakrishnan begins her second season with the CSU soccer team. She started 16 of 18 matches and tallied one goal and a team-leading three assists for five points. Gopalakrishnan scored her first collegiate goal at Wofford (Sept. 7) and recorded assists against High Point (Oct. 4), USC Aiken (Oct. 15), and Presbyterian (Oct. 29).

Bell enters her second year in Charleston after making an immediate impact during the 2025 season. She was named Big South Second-Team All-Conference and appeared in 14 matches with seven starts. The Collingswood, New Jersey native scored three goals for six points on five shots. She recorded goals against The Citadel (Sept. 11), High Point (Oct. 4), and South Carolina State (Oct. 8) and placed four of five shots on goal (.800 SOG percentage).

The Buccaneers open the 2026 campaign this Saturday, August 8, against College of Charleston at CSU Soccer Field in an exhibition match at 1:00 p.m.

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