SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – After capturing its first Summit League regular season championship since 2004, Oral Roberts was voted the preseason favorite in the 2026 Summit League women’s soccer preseason coaches’ poll released Tuesday by league officials. The Golden Eagles collected six first-place votes and 48 total points in the poll, which was voted on by the League's eight head coaches. Defending tournament champion South Dakota State received the remaining two first-place votes to finish second with 44 points.
The Golden Eagles are coming off a 2025 season that saw them post a 13-5-2 overall record and a 6-1-1 mark in conference play to earn the No. 1 seed and hosting rights for the Summit League Championship. ORU advanced to the tournament title match before falling to South Dakota State.
The Jackrabbits enter the season looking to defend their tournament crown after securing their third consecutive Summit League Championship with a 2-0 victory over Oral Roberts last November. South Dakota State finished the 2025 campaign with a 13-3-6 overall record and a 4-1-3 League mark before advancing to the NCAA Tournament, where it faced Iowa in the opening round.
Omaha garnered 33 points to claim the third spot in the preseason rankings, followed by South Dakota (30), Kansas City (27), North Dakota State (20), North Dakota (14) and St. Thomas (8). The Tommies enter the 2026 season under the direction of interim head coach Becca Brandt.
2026 Summit League Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| Rank |
School |
Points (1st) |
2025 Record (SL) |
| 1. |
Oral Roberts |
48 (6) |
13-5-2 (6-1-1, 19 pts.) |
| 2. |
South Dakota State |
44 (2) |
13-3-6 (4-1-3, 15 pts.) |
| 3. |
Omaha |
33 |
6-9-4 (3-4-1, 10 pts.) |
| 4. |
South Dakota |
30 |
7-6-6 (3-3-2, 11 pts.) |
| 5. |
Kansas City |
27 |
9-8-3 (3-3-2, 11 pts.) |
| 6. |
North Dakota State |
20 |
5-12-1 (1-6-1, 4 pts.) |
| 7. |
North Dakota |
14 |
8-7-3 (2-4-2, 8 pts.) |
| 8. |
St. Thomas |
8 |
3-9-4 (0-5-3, 3 pts.) |
Players to Watch
Note: Players to Watch nominated by league’s head coaches
Brianna Castleberry | Oral Roberts | Redshirt Senior | Forward
• 2025 First Team All-Summit League, CSC Academic All-District Team
• Started all 16 matches, logging 939 minutes while leading the team with 15 points on three goals and a team-high nine assists
• Recorded one game-winning goal and placed 22 of her 32 shots on target for a .688 shots-on-goal percentage
Precious Edosa | Oral Roberts | Junior | Defender
• 2025 First Team All-Summit League
• Started 14 of 17 matches, logging 1,284 minutes while helping anchor the Golden Eagles' back line
• Added three goals, one assist and one game-winning goal to finish the season with seven points
Mallorie Benhart | South Dakota State | Senior | Goalkeeper
• Earned 2025 Summit League Goalkeeper of the Year honors, First Team All-Summit League, Summit League All-Newcomer Team, and Summit League All-Tournament Team
• Started all 20 matches during her debut season, posting a 12-3-5 record with a 0.71 goals-against average, .859 save percentage and nine shutouts
• Recorded 85 saves, including a season-high eight against Wyoming (Sept. 8) and nine during the NCAA Tournament match against Iowa (Nov. 14), while allowing no goals throughout the Summit League Tournament
Mia Bosch | South Dakota State | Junior | Midfielder
• A 2025 Second Team All-Summit League selection, she also earned Summit League Offensive Peak Performer of the Week (Sept. 30) and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors
• Logging 1,278 minutes across all 22 matches, she led the Jackrabbits and the Summit League with nine assists, ranking 19th nationally and fifth in program single-season history
• Produced 15 points on three goals and nine assists, highlighted by a career-high four-point outing against Northern Colorado (Sept. 14) with one goal and two assists
Kendall Dobberstein | Omaha | Sophomore | Forward
• A 2025 Second Team All-Summit League and Summit League All-Newcomer Team selection after a strong debut campaign
• Appeared in 19 matches with 13 starts, logging 1,140 minutes of action while recording a season-high 84 minutes against Green Bay (Aug. 17)
• Contributed eight points on four goals and four assists during the 2025 season
Addie LaRock | Omaha | Sophomore | Midfielder
• Started 14 of 19 matches during the 2025 season, logging 1,284 minutes on the pitch
• Finished the year with two goals and one assist, contributing five total points
• Scored the game-winning goal against Kansas City to send the Mavericks into the Summit League Tournament
Mali Van Meeteren | South Dakota | Senior | Midfielder
• Rattled off a career-high three goals and seven points during junior campaign
• Recorded 1,444 minutes and started 19 matches last season
• Earned Second Team-All Summit and Academic All-League recognition in 2025
Klarissa Vega | South Dakota | Redshirt Sophomore | Forward
• Notched eight goals in 1,239 minutes of action in her first year of action for the Yotes
• Registered 19 points last season after adding three assists with her eight goals
• Named the 2025 Newcomer of the Year and Second Team All-Summit
Ashley Koch | Kansas City | Redshirt Junior | Forward
• Collected 2025 Honorable Mention All-Summit League honors after starting all 20 matches for her team
• Led the team with six assists and 42 shots while adding six goals to finish the season with 19 points
• Put together a four-match goal-scoring streak from Aug. 21-31 and recorded a season-high two assists against St. Thomas (Oct. 12)
Olivia Platt | Kansas City | Redshirt Senior | Midfielder
• Named 2025 First Team All-Summit League, Academic All-Summit League and Summit League All-Tournament Team
• Appeared in all 20 matches, logging 1,532 minutes while finishing second on the team in goals, assists and points
• Contributed five assists and ranked second in the Summit League in both goals and points, while finishing among the NCAA's top 100 in total points, total goals and game-winning goals
Amaya Garrett | North Dakota State | Senior | Defender
• Started all 18 matches, logging 1,600 minutes to anchor the back line during the 2025 season
• Helped the defense post three clean sheets while contributing two assists from the back
• Recorded five shots, including three on goal, and finished the season with two points
Morgan Russmann | North Dakota State | Junior | Forward
• Earned 2025 Second Team All-Summit League honors after starting all 18 matches and logging 1,406 minutes
• Finished the season with six goals and six assists for 18 points, adding two game-winning goals and 25 shots on goal
• Scored twice against Clarke (Sept. 4) and recorded two-assist performances against Green Bay (Aug. 14) and South Dakota (Oct. 2)
Cora Ellermann | North Dakota | Senior | Midfielder
• Appeared in all 18 matches for the Fighting Hawks, making 11 starts in her junior campaign
• Knocked in five goals and delivered nine assists to tally 19 points last season
• Completed her debut season with 1,201 minutes played
Hannah Peters | North Dakota | Sophomore | Midfielder
• Entering her first year with the Fighting Hawks after transferring from Long Beach State
• Made 12 appearances for the Sharks with 236 minutes
• Played 64 minutes against Nevada, recording one assist in the 6-0 win for Long Beach State
Sofia Englund | St. Thomas | Senior | Forward/Midfielder
• Earned 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors
• Appeared in 14 matches, making 13 starts while logging 1,060 minutes during the 2025 season
• Provided a steady presence in the lineup, starting all but one of her appearances throughout the season
Izzy McEwan | St. Thomas | Junior | Forward/Midfielder
• Earned nine starts while logging 902 minutes of action during the 2025 season
• Contributed three points with one goal and one assist while providing an offensive spark throughout the season
• Recorded key minutes in the lineup, seeing action in 16 of the team’s contests during the 2025 campaign
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