KANSAS CITY, MO – North Georgia women's soccer have earned the No. 14 spot in the United Soccer Coaches (USC)/ Intercollegiate Women’s Soccer Organization for Coaches (IWSOC) Preseason Poll and are joined by Lander who earn the #20 spot. Columbus State also opens the season receiving votes. 

The Nighthawks are coming off a 2025 campaign in which they finished 18-3-1 while setting a new program record for wins in a single season, a perfect 10-0 mark in conference play and an unbeaten record on the road. UNG also secured the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Regular Season Title for the second time in the last three years. In 2026, UNG are set to face three teams ranked in the USC Preseason Top 25 and two teams who received votes in the preseason poll. The first of those come vs RV Montevallo on September 5th, before facing RV Columbus State and #20 Lander in back-to-back conference matchups on September 23rd and 26th. The Nighthawks then face #1 Florida Tech and #8 Lenoir Rhyne in back-to-back games on October 17th and 21st. 

Lander are coming off a historical 2025 campaign which saw the reach the NCAA Southeast Region final for the first time in program history, knocking off both the #4 and #1 seed on their way. The Bearcats also closed out the regular season with a second place finish in the PBC standings. In 2026, Lander are set to face two teams ranked in the USC Preseason Top 25 and one team who received votes in the preseason poll. The Bearcats face #8 Lenoir Rhyne on September 9th in a rematch of the 2025 Southeast Region final, before facing #14 North Georgia on September 26th and RV Columbus State on October 7th. 

Columbus State closed out 2025 with a 14-6-1 record, as they claimed the PBC Tournament Title. In 2026, the Cougars are set to face four teams ranked in the USC Preseason Top 25 and one team who received votes in the preseason poll. CSU will face #8 Lenoir Rhyne on September 19th, followed by #14 North Georgia on September 23rd, #20 Lander on October 7th, #13 Catawba on October 21st and RV Montevallo on October 28th.
 

United Soccer Coaches/IWSOC NCAA Division II Women's Coaches Poll - National - Preseason Ranking - August 4, 2026

Rank School Prev. W-L-T

1 Florida Tech 1 15-3-6

2 Cal Poly Pomona 2 14-1-3

3 Franklin Pierce University 3 17-3-5

4 Washburn University 4 14-4-6

5 Dallas Baptist University 5 20-2-0

6 West Chester University 6 16-3-4

7 Nova Southeastern University 7 16-1-4

8 Lenoir-Rhyne University 8 13-5-3

9 University of Missouri-St. Louis 10 15-5-2

10 University of Colorado-Colorado Springs 10 14-3-6

11 Thomas Jefferson University 12 17-3-1

12 Colorado School of Mines 13 14-3-5

13 Catawba College 14 17-1-4

14 University of North Georgia 15 18-3-1

15 Minnesota State University-Mankato 16 18-1-4

16 St. Cloud State University 18 16-3-5

17 Shepherd University 19 12-2-6

18 Western Washington University 20 14-1-7

19 Grand Valley State University 21 19-2-1

20 Lander University 22 14-4-2

21 Maryville University of St. Louis 23 13-3-6

22 Ashland University 24 14-3-5

23 Gannon University 25 16-3-2

24 Simon Fraser University RV 14-3-5

25 Mercy University RV 14-4-3

Records shown are final 2025 records.

Also receiving votes:

Point Loma Nazarene University, Columbus State University, Saint Anselm College, California State University Stanislaus , Colorado Mesa University, Concordia University Irvine, California State University Los Angeles, Francis Marion University, Dominican University of California, Fairmont State University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.), Cedarville University, Kutztown University, California State University Chico, University of Montevallo, California State University San Marcos