Stanford begins the 2026 NCAA women’s soccer season ranked first in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, climbing one spot from their No. 2 position last year following an impressive 20-2-2 record in 2025.
Interestingly, the Cardinal secured the top overall ranking despite not receiving a single first-place vote. Instead, the team narrowly surpassed Notre Dame by a margin of 191 to 189 total points. Notre Dame, while finishing second, garnered six first-place votes, highlighting the competitive nature of the poll.
Stanford Women’s Soccer Takes No. 1 Spot
Following the two leaders, Duke claimed the third spot, with Florida State and Vanderbilt rounding out the top five. Notably, Florida State and Vanderbilt each earned one first-place vote, underscoring their presence as strong contenders early in the season.
Beyond the top five, UCLA posted the most dramatic rise in the rankings, jumping from No. 22 last year to No. 9 this preseason. Meanwhile, North Carolina improved five places to No. 8. The Big 12 powerhouse TCU took the sixth position, spearheading a conference that placed five teams within the Top 25.
UCLA, North Carolina Rise as SEC Makes Strong Showing
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) matched the Big 12’s presence with five teams ranked in the preseason Top 25. Alongside Vanderbilt at No. 5, Arkansas sat at No. 10, LSU at No. 16, Georgia at No. 19, and Tennessee rounded out the list at No. 24.
Of note, both Georgia and Clemson reentered the preseason poll after being unranked in the previous year, signaling a potential resurgence within their programs.