The SimpleCoach Preseason Top 25: WashU Still Sets the Standard as 2026 Approaches

The defending national champions sit where they belong.

The SimpleCoach Women’s 2026 Pre-Season Rankings

Washington University in St. Louis opens the 2026 season as the clear No. 1 in the SimpleCoach rankings after a near-perfect 21-0-3 campaign that ended with a 2-1 title-game win over Emory. Back-to-back national championships. Elite returning pieces on both ends of the field. The high-powered, possession-dominant attack that has defined recent Bears teams is still here, led by the likes of Olivia Clemons. Defensive depth remains a strength. Jim Conlon’s group is the standard until someone proves otherwise.

Emory sits right behind them at No. 2, and for good reason. The Eagles went 21-2-1, set school records for wins and shutouts, and stacked All-Americans on both sides of the ball. Kaitlyn Nimmer and Mikayla Camp headline a still-potent attack. The defense remains organized and physical. Emory is the most legitimate title contender in the country behind WashU and a perennial threat to push the Bears inside the UAA and beyond.

The University of Chicago checks in at No. 3. Consistent UAA power. Technical quality. Organization. High soccer IQ. The Maroons match up with anyone in the country on a given day and pushed deep into the tournament again. When Chicago is clicking, they belong in the absolute elite conversation.

Tufts (No. 4) and Messiah (No. 5) round out a top five that looks both deep and difficult. Tufts brings the technical quality, depth, and experience that make them a Final Four threat every November and one of the most complete sides in New England. Messiah remains the MAC Commonwealth powerhouse under Scott Frey—elite scoring, shutout defense, returning scorers, and a proven system that keeps them a perennial top-five program capable of another deep run.

The Next Tier and the Sleepers

Case Western (No. 6) had a strong UAA campaign that only lost to the eventual national champion and runner-up and advanced to the NCAA second round again. High-scoring attack (Maggie Farra, Ceci Dapino) and recent tournament hosting experience push them higher here than some external polls.

Williams (No. 7) is Williams—NESCAC mainstay with tradition, talent, and coaching that keep them dangerous deep into November. Wesleyan (No. 8) is one of the more interesting placements. A 9-5-4 mark, strong individual performances from Maria Utz and Molly Brumbach, NESCAC depth, and clear upward trajectory earn them the sleeper label as a side capable of climbing.

MIT (No. 9) brings an explosive attack and NEWMAC success that keep them firmly in the top-10 conversation. Pomona-Pitzer (No. 10) is the clear top West Coast threat after claiming another SCIAC regular-season title and reaching the Round of 16 with a strong returning core.

Further down the list, Colby (No. 11) and Amherst (No. 19) represent the classic NESCAC “watch this space” programs that can rise quickly when healthy and clicking. Johns Hopkins (No. 12) and Carnegie Mellon (No. 13) bring the Centennial and UAA pedigree that always finds ways to compete in the NCAA Tournament. UW-La Crosse (No. 14), Middlebury (No. 15), Cal Lutheran (No. 16), Calvin (No. 17), and Misericordia (No. 18) all carry enough quality, returning pieces, or recent Final Four pedigree to remain dangerous.

Christopher Newport (No. 21), NYU (No. 22), Washington & Lee (No. 23), Rochester (No. 24), and Rowan (No. 25) close out the ranking as programs that showed enough organization, physicality, or results last season to crack the top 25 and remain capable of making noise.

What the Ranking Says

The UAA remains absurdly loaded. WashU, Emory, Chicago, Case Western, NYU, Carnegie Mellon, and Rochester all appear in the top 25. That conference will continue to eat its own and produce multiple NCAA bids that travel well.

The NESCAC depth is real—Tufts, Williams, Wesleyan, Colby, Middlebury, Amherst, and others ensure New England stays a brutal region. Messiah and Misericordia keep the MAC strong. The West Coast has a clear flagship in Pomona-Pitzer with Cal Lutheran still carrying Final Four pedigree. And the usual physical, organized sides from the ODAC, NJAC, and elsewhere are right where they belong.

This is a snapshot based on returning talent, recent results, coaching continuity, and how these teams actually match up when the games get tight in November. Rankings do not win games. Depth charts change. Freshmen arrive. Injuries happen. The fun part starts when the ball is kicked and these projections get tested.

WashU is the team to beat. Emory is the clearest challenger. After that, the field is deep enough that several programs on this list could make a legitimate run if the right pieces click at the right time.

That’s the beauty of Division III women’s soccer. The standard is high, the competition is relentless, and the next champion will have to earn every bit of it.

You can see the rankings HERE.

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