Division III Soccer News Roundup – 20 August 2026

Published for D3Soccer.Fans – Your daily source for NCAA Division III men’s and women’s soccer

A relatively quiet mid-to-late August Thursday as most programs remain in preseason mode ahead of typical early-September openers. Fresh national-level articles specifically dated August 20 are scarce. Activity from the prior day (August 19) centers on conference preseason coaches’ polls. No major national coaching changes or high-profile individual player commitments surfaced in the current-day window. Below is the grouped rundown limited to DIII men’s and women’s soccer. Items previously covered in earlier daily roundups are omitted.

Top 10 Rankings (United Soccer Coaches / NCAA DIII Preseason Polls – August 4, 2026)

These remain the most recent national rankings available and serve as the baseline heading into the 2026 season (records shown are final 2025 marks).

Men’s Top 10

1. Tufts University (20-1-3)
2. Trinity University (Texas) (20-2-1)
3. St. Olaf College (20-3-3)
4. Emory University (17-2-3)
5. Bowdoin College (12-4-4)
6. Dickinson College (16-1-7)
7. Wheaton College (Mass.) (17-2-4)
8. Augsburg University (18-3-3)
9. Connecticut College (12-3-6)
10. Williams College (10-5-4)

Women’s Top 10

1. Washington University (Mo.) (21-0-3)
2. Emory University (21-2-1)
3. University of Chicago (16-2-4)
4. Tufts University (18-2-3)
5. Messiah University (22-3-0)
6. Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (16-1-5)
7. Washington & Lee University (18-2-3)
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (22-3-1)
9. Middlebury College (13-4-3)
10. Williams College (13-2-5)

Men’s Soccer Focus / Conference Preseason Polls & Related News

• CCIW Preseason Coaches’ Poll (August 19): Wheaton (Ill.) and North Central (Ill.) shared the top spot (57 points and three first-place votes each). North Park placed third (54 points, two first-place votes). Illinois Wesleyan was fourth (44 points, one first-place vote), Carroll (Wis.) fifth (33 points), and Carthage sixth (32 points). Augustana, Millikin, and Elmhurst rounded out the rankings. Carthage, under first-year head coach Mike Madigan (hired March 25), opens September 1 at home vs. Marian. Full details: Carthage Athletics release.
• OAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll (August 19): Mount Union was selected third. Ohio Northern led (59 points, five first-place votes), followed by Otterbein (56 points, three first-place votes). Mount Union returns key All-OAC talent including reigning OAC Defender of the Year Alex Depperschmidt. The Raiders open September 1 at Chatham. Full details: Mount Union Athletics release.

Limited additional school-site news from athletics pages of the provided Division III list for August 19–20 focused on the above conference polls involving listed programs (Carthage, Mount Union, and others referenced in the CCIW/OAC voting). No widespread schedule releases or other fresh items dated precisely to the prior day appeared across the broader set of sites.

One Interesting Non-D3 Soccer Piece

Lionel Messi scored an emotional goal (his first since the death of his father) and added an assist as Inter Miami played to a 2-2 draw with the Philadelphia Union. The match featured late drama and red cards; 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan also factored into the Union’s scoring. A compelling reminder of the game’s personal and competitive layers at the professional level.

Video Recommendation

While browsing the SimpleCoachTV YouTube channel I came across a solid earlier conversation that still holds up well: “SimpleCoach to Coach with Marco DeVito, Head Men’s Coach at Nichols College.” Published a couple of months back, it offers a thoughtful look at the program, coaching approach, and the realities of building at the DIII level. Worth a watch if you enjoy program-building insights and coach-to-coach discussion.

That’s the roundup for August 20. Preseason polls and early positioning continue to set the stage; expect more schedule confirmations and roster news as September approaches. Check back tomorrow for the next daily update.