CARMEL, Ind - The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) has announced the results of its women’s soccer preseason coaches’ poll on Tuesday morning with 2025 HCAC Tournament Champion Rose-Hulman predicted to defend its title. The Fightin’ Engineers earned 78 points in the poll and six of a possible 10 first place votes.
Hanover ranked second in this year’s voting, collecting 71 points and a first place vote. The three remaining first place votes went to 2025 Regular-Season Champion Mount St. Joseph, contributing to its 68-point total, which was good for third place. Rounding out this year’s top-five were Transylvania and Anderson, which earned 59 and 49 points, respectively.
The preseason favorite Fightin’ Engineers will look for contributions from four All-Conference returners. First-Teamer
Ally Smith (Louisville, Ky.) is joined by Second-Teamers
Riley Heasley (Lexington, Ky.),
Iliana Hernandez (Suwanee, Ga.), and
Sydnee Schuler (Bloomington, Ill.)
Following the regular season, the 2026 HCAC Women’s Soccer Championship is scheduled to begin on Saturday, Oct. 31 with the final taking place on Saturday, Nov. 7. The top six teams at the end of the regular season will qualify for the tournament with the winner earning the league’s automatic qualifier into the 2026 NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship.
2026 HCAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll Results
| 1. |
Rose-Hulman |
78 (6) |
| 2. |
Hanover |
71 (1) |
| 3. |
Mount St. Joseph |
68 (3) |
| 4. |
Transylvania |
59 |
| 5. |
Anderson |
49 |
| 6. |
Earlham |
38 |
| T7. |
Bluffton |
27 |
| T7. |
Franklin |
27 |
| 9. |
Berea |
19 |
| 10. |
Manchester |
14 |
2026 Team-by-Team Capsules
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Fightin’ Engineers (Terre Haute, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = First place with 78 poll points and six first place votes.
Head Coach = Amy Helliwell
2025 Results = 11-7-2 Overall, 7-1-1 (22 points) HCAC (3rd place, Tournament Champions)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 4
- (1st Team) Ally Smith, Senior Defense/Midfield, Louisville, Ky.
- (2nd Team) Riley Heasley, Senior Midfield, Lexington, Ky.
- (2nd Team) Iliana Hernandez, Junior Forward, Suwanee, Ga.
- (2nd Team) Sydnee Schuler, Junior Midfield, Bloomington, Ill.
Other Players to Watch in 2026 =
- Vianey Garcia, Senior Defense, Gilroy, Calif.
- Emma Johns, Senior Midfield, New Berlin, Wis.
Hanover College Panthers (Hanover, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Second place with 71 poll points and one first place vote.
Head Coach = James Watts
2025 Results = 8-7-5 Overall, 5-2-2 (17 points) HCAC (Tied for 4th place, No. 4 Tournament Seed)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 3
- (1st Team) Anna Black, Sophomore Defense, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
- (1st Team) Emma Gill, Junior Forward, Needham, Ind.
- (2nd Team) Cam Horsley, Senior Midfield, Mooresville, Ind.
Mount St. Joseph Lions (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Third place with 68 poll points and three first place votes.
Head Coach = Marc Sabin
2025 Results = 10-6-4 Overall, 8-0-1 (25 points) HCAC (Regular-Season Champions)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 5
- (1st Team) Mary Anhofer, Senior Forward, West Chester, Ohio (2025 Midfielder of the Year)
- (1st Team) Kendal Fox, Junior Forward, Lawrenceburg, Ind. (2025 Offensive Player of the Year)
- (1st Team) Rachel Ginn, Junior Midfield, Cincinnati, Ohio
- (1st Team) Preslee Rugg, Sophomore Forward, Greendale, Ind. (2025 Newcomer of the Year)
- (2nd Team) Payge Callahan, Junior Defense, Sunman, Ind.
Other Players to Watch in 2026 =
- Megan Kallmeyer, Senior Goalkeeper, Cincinnati, Ohio
Transylvania Pioneers (Lexington, Ky.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Fourth place with 59 poll points.
Head Coach = Trip Rogers
2025 Results = 6-9-5 Overall, 5-1-3 (18 points) HCAC (3rd place)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 1
- (1st Team) Carrie Stevens, Senior Goalkeeper, Winchester, Ky.
Anderson University Ravens (Anderson, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Fifth place with 49 poll points.
Head Coach = Adam Christensen
2025 Results = 8-6-4 Overall, 5-2-2 (17 points) HCAC, (Tied for 4th place, No. 5 Tournament Seed)
Players to Watch in 2026 =
- Izzy Cameron, Junior Midfield, Indianapolis, Ind.
- Mailee Cornette, Sophomore Forward, Springfield, Ohio
- Madison Hampton, Sophomore Midfield, Newark, Ohio
- Emily Wilusz, Graduate Forward, Crown Point, Ind.
Earlham College Quakers (Richmond, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Sixth place with 38 poll points.
Head Coach = Lydia Harvey
2025 Results = 5-12-1 Overall, 4-4-1 (13 points) HCAC (6th place)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 2
- (2nd Team) Diane Scalise, Senior Midfield, Phoenix, Ariz.
- (3rd Team) Abigail Blake, Sophomore Defense, Ashville, Ohio
Other Players to Watch in 2026 =
- Mariana Mendez, Junior Forward, Garland, Texas
Bluffton University Beavers (Bluffton, Ohio)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Tied for seventh place with 27 poll points.
Head Coach = Zach Hammon
2025 Results = 7-11 Overall, 2-7 (6 points) HCAC (8th place)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 2
- (3rd Team) Brysan Brewer, Junior Forward, Middletown, Ohio
- (3rd Team) Brooklyn Pfeiffer, Junior Defense, Delaware, Ohio
Other Players to Watch in 2026 =
- Morgan Jarvis, Senior Forward, Powell, Ohio
- Ella Salinas, Freshman Defense/Midfield, Hebron, Ky.
- Katie Singleton, Junior Forward/Defense, Hamilton, Ohio
- Mya Vernon, Senior Midfield, Toledo, Ohio
Franklin College Grizzlies (Franklin, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Tied for seventh place with 27 poll points.
Head Coach = Jennifer Jackson
2025 Results = 2-13-2 Overall, 1-7-1 (4 points) HCAC (9th place)
Players to Watch in 2026 =
- Lauren Barker, Senior Forward, Columbus, Ind.
- Amani Kincaid, Junior Forward/Midfield, Evansville, Ind.
- Emma Myers, Senior Midfield, Columbus, Ind.
- Emma Watson, Junior Goalkeeper, Greenwood, Ind.
Berea College Mountaineers (Berea, Ky.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Ninth place with 19 poll points.
Head Coach = Joe Saleem II
2025 Results = 8-9-2 Overall, 2-6-1 (7 points) HCAC (7th place)
Players to Watch in 2026 =
- Elana Horne, Junior Goalkeeper, Rogersville, Tenn.
- Jessica Powell, Junior Forward, Cincinnati, Ohio
Manchester University Spartans (North Manchester, Ind.)
Predicted 2026 HCAC Finish = Tenth place with 14 poll points.
Head Coach = Jamie Peters
2025 Results = 1-15-1 Overall, 0-9 (0 points) HCAC (10th place)
Returning HCAC All-Conference Players = 2
- (2nd Team) Sian Rogers, Junior Defense, Jeffersonville, Ind.
- (3rd Team) Lily DeTray, Senior Forward, Oak Harbor, Ohio
Other Players to Watch in 2026 =
- Reagan Claus, Sophomore Goalkeeper, Crown Point, Ind.