What to know for third annual Panther Classic high school girls soccer tournament

EVANSVILLE — Is the Panther Classic the strongest high school girls soccer event in Indiana?

>The answer comes down to past success and the quality of competition. This tournament has staked its spot on the calendar as a pre-Labor Day test for some of the better teams in Southern Indiana. Expect another round of great soccer in Year 3.

class="related-link">More: 70 high school girls soccer players to watch in Southwestern Indiana this season

>The Panther Classic returns this week at Goebel Sports Complex and features 18 varsity girls soccer programs from Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. The team depth is impressive again – eight teams ranked in the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association poll, including five of the top 18 in Class 3A, in addition to four other state semifinalists.

>"We wanted to create an event that gave local teams a chance to test themselves against the best in the region," Reitz coach Trey McClain said. "This year's field highlights how that early vision has become a reality. Several of the best teams in the country will be showcasing their talents in Evansville this weekend."

>Aside from a single game on Thursday, the majority of the event takes place on Friday and Saturday. The ticket cost is broken down as a $20 weekend pass after Sept. 2 and $10 single-game tickets at the gate. Student tickets are $5 with student ID. No charge for fans 10 and under.

Who are the top teams in the 2026 Panther Classic?The Southwestern Indiana group is comprised of Castle, Central, Day School, Mater Dei, Mount Vernon, North, Northeast Dubois, Reitz and Washington. Four are ranked. More will be written following this event from an Evansville perspective. What makes this event pop is its competition. A look at some of the top teams coming to Goebel.

>Bloomington South: The No. 15 Panthers opened with another grueling schedule, resulting in a 1-2-2 record as of Tuesday. That win was a 3-0 shutout against Castle. The defending sectional champions play Fishers, Lexington Catholic, and Central Hardin.

>Center Grove: The No. 4 Trojans are among Indiana's best after reaching the semi-state. Center Grove has posted three shutouts through Sept. 1, including a 3-0 win at Bloomington South. Its opposition this weekend is Central Hardin, Collierville and Castle.

>Central Hardin: The Bruins are rated the top team in the country per MaxPreps. Lost in the KHSAA state semifinals to Highlands last fall. Central Hardin gets Center Grove, Castle and Bloomington South. The game on Friday night against CG could be electric.

>Collierville: The Dragons reached the semifinals of the TSSAA Division I Class AAA tournament last year. Undefeated to start the 2026 run with 25 goals in four games – rated 10th in the country on MaxPreps. Collierville plays North, Westfield and Center Grove.

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>Lexington Catholic: Another state semifinalist from Kentucky. The Lady Knights graduated their top goal scorer (and lost another to a season-long injury) but still return a deep, experienced roster. Lexington Catholic plays North, Bloomington South and Fishers.

>Oldenburg Academy: One of the stronger small-school programs in Indiana. The Twisters, ranked No. 2 in Class 1A, already challenged themselves after reaching the regional final with losses to New Palestine, Park Tudor and Lawrenceburg. Oldenburg faces Central, Northeast Dubois and Reitz.

>Westfield: Another top-five team in Class 3A – lost in the sectional championship to Carmel. The Rocks, undefeated going into a top-10 fight with Zionsville on Wednesday, are in the same group as North and Collierville.

class="related-link">More: 10 high school girls soccer teams to watch across Southwestern Indiana in 2026

Top players to watchThere are too many talented individuals to list. Here is one from every team to watch for this weekend:

>Aubrey Baker, Oldenburg Academy; Ellie Barron, Day School; Lucy Bennett, Castle; Lizzy Bucklin, Bloomington South; Bailee Class, Highlands; Ellie Delaney, Collierville (East Tennessee State); Kayla Delph, North; Hannah Dyer, Mater Dei; Nadia Finch, Indianapolis Genesis; Kalia Holmes-Wedeking, Central; Rene Kauffman, Reitz; Audrey McGee, Central Hardin; Mia Marlin, Center Grove (Austin Peay State); Iris Martin, Fishers; Leah Owens, Washington; Emme Peterson, Lexington Catholic; Avery Van Den Berg, Westfield (Missouri); Holly Wyland, Northeast Dubois.

>"The value of the Panther Classic is two-fold," McClain said. "First, the SIAC is a deep conference. Each week, when we play each other, it's a dogfight. To give our schools a chance to stay home and still face challenging competition from outside the area is fantastic. The second value is to our community. The Panther Classic doesn't happen without the tireless work of numerous individuals ranging from parents that help coordinate all the countless details to the Evansville Regional Sports Commission to the Reitz athletic department."

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What is the Panther Classic varsity schedule?The team is either playing two round-robin games within preset divisions or a third cross-divisional matchup. The latter is in bold. Here is the full varsity schedule, all times in CDT:

>Thursday, Sept. 3

North vs. Collierville (Tenn.), 6 p.m.Friday, Sept. 4

Lexington Catholic (Ky.) vs. North, 5:30 p.m. • >Central Hardin (Ky.) vs Center Grove, 5:30 p.m. • >Mater Dei vs. Washington, 5:30 p.m. • >Central vs. Day School, 5:30 p.m. • >Castle vs. Highlands (Ky.), 7:30 p.m. • >Bloomington South vs. Fishers, 7:30 p.m. • >Westfield vs. Collierville (Tenn.), 7:30 p.m. • >Reitz vs. Indianapolis Genesis, 7:30 p.m. • >Oldenburg Academy vs. Northeast Dubois, 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Sept. 5

Collierville (Tenn.) vs. Center Grove, 8 a.m. • >Lexington Catholic (Ky.) vs. Bloomington South, 8 a.m. • >Castle vs. Central Hardin (Ky.), 8 a.m. • >Central vs. Oldenburg Academy, 8 a.m. • >Day School vs. Indianapolis Genesis, 8 a.m. • >North vs. Westfield, 10 a.m. • >Highlands (Ky.) vs. Mater Dei, 10 a.m. • >Northeast Dubois vs. Reitz, 10 a.m. • >Fishers vs. Lexington Catholic, 2 p.m. • >Central Hardin (Ky.) vs. Bloomington South, 2 p.m. • >Indianapolis Genesis vs. Central, 2 p.m. • >Reitz vs. Oldenburg Academy, 4 p.m. • >Day School vs. Northeast Dubois, 4 p.m. • >Center Grove vs. Castle, 4 p.m. • >Washington vs. Highlands (Ky.), 4 p.m.Kyle Sokeland is a sports reporter for the Courier & Press. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @kylesokeland or email at kyle.sokeland@courierpress.com.

>This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: What to know for third annual Panther Classic high school girls soccer tournament