ROCK HILL, S.C. (theSAC.com) – Coming off an unbeaten regular season and SAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships, the Catawba Indians have been voted the preseason favorite in the 2026 SAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The poll, as voted on by the league’s head coaches, was released on Monday morning by the league office.
Catawba went 17-1-4 a season ago and earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Forward Bree Ehmer was voted the Ron Lenz National Player of the Year and returns for her senior season. Catawba earned six first-place votes and 96 total points. Along with Ehmer, Preseason All-Conference selections Ella Matthews, Reese Robinson and Ali Skinner have Catawba primed for another big season.
Lenoir-Rhyne comes in second in the coaches’ poll and earned four first-place votes with 92 points. The Bears’ Katie Durham and Ava Hartman were named to the Preseason All-Conference team for an LR squad that went 13-5-3 in 2025 and won its fourth Southeast Regional Championship while advancing to the national quarterfinals.
Anderson slots in at No. 3 in the preseason poll with 76 points. The Trojans made a run to the SAC Championship game in 2025, pushing Catawba to overtime before falling, 3-2. Anderson finished in third place in the standings a season ago, going 6-3-1, and made the NCAA Tournament.
Wingate earned the final first-place vote and secured 72 points to rank fourth in the poll. After finishing in second place in 2024, Wingate slipped to 5-5 in the SAC and a tie for sixth place last year. However, Preseason All-Conference selection Ellie Polk leads the way for a group looking to climb back up the standings this season.
Coker slots in at fifth in the poll with 66 points. The Cobras went 5-2-3 last year to finish in fourth place. The Cobras have produced the last two SAC Freshman of the Year winners, with last year’s selection, Ella Wilke, returning as a Preseason All-Conference selection. Joining her on the list is midfielder Hannah Denton.
Carson-Newman earned 58 points to finish in sixth place in the poll, while Lincoln Memorial and Tusculum tied for seventh with 42 points apiece.
Newberry came in ninth, followed by Emory & Henry in 10th, with Mars Hill rounding out the poll at No. 11.
In addition to the Coaches’ Poll and Preseason All-Conference Team, the league announced its Players to Watch list, highlighting potential standouts from each institution.
2026 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll
| Rank |
School (First Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
Catawba (6) |
96 |
| 2. |
Lenoir-Rhyne (4) |
92 |
| 3. |
Anderson |
76 |
| 4. |
Wingate (1) |
72 |
| 5. |
Coker |
66 |
| 6. |
Carson-Newman |
58 |
| 7t. |
Lincoln Memorial |
42 |
| 7t. |
Tusculum |
42 |
| 9. |
Newberry |
26 |
| 10. |
Emory & Henry |
23 |
| 11. |
Mars Hill |
12 |
Preseason All-Conference
F – Bree Ehmer, Catawba
F – Katie Durham, Lenoir-Rhyne
F – Ellie Polk, Wingate
F – Ansley Douty, Anderson
MF – Ava Hartman, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Ella Wilke, Coker
MF – Ella Matthews, Catawba
MF – Hannah Denton, Coker
D – Reese Robinson, Catawba
D – Lucy Hack, Catawba
D – Lauren Monday, Anderson
D – Ali Skinner, Catawba
GK – Madison Gutierrez, Newberry
Players to Watch:
Anderson
Whitley Anderson
Carson-Newman
Alayna Corbitt
Malia Kim
Iris Palsdottir
Coker
Emma Brandt
Alexis Spivey
Emory & Henry
Bella Fairley
Cristina Ciofani
Elloree Kieffer
Lenoir-Rhyne
Mya Rivera
Ingrid Krakhellen
Rosa Gonzalez
Lincoln Memorial
Donna van der Zalm
Emma Cooke
Jade Brown
Mars Hill
Kayleigh Mallare
Sailor Clare
Avery Brechbiel
Newberry
Molly Quartly
Mikaela Warburton
Tusculum
Carme Escamilla
Kirsten Sadlon
Brynn Stokes
Wingate
Angela Maino
Katie Ensalaco
Audur Halldorsdottir