ASHLAND – Following a strong showing in last year's national tournament, the Southern Oregon University women's soccer team was receiving NAIA Top 25 votes when the 2026 preseason coaches' poll was released on Wednesday.

The Raiders were listed No. 32 overall out of 33 total teams in the poll. They're seeking their first Top 25 spot since the 2019 season, when they peaked at No. 21.

They'll have an opportunity to get one given their early strength of schedule. After debuting Aug. 29 at Life Pacific (Calif.), they'll visit back-to-back ranked opponents: No. 23 Westcliff (Calif.) on Aug. 31 and No. 3 Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) on Sept. 3.

SOU, which went 14-3-3 in 2025, plays its first home game Sept. 11 against Simpson (Calif.).

The CCC's lone ranked squad is defending champion College of Idaho at No. 10. The Yotes visit Raider Stadium on Oct. 17, a year exactly after SOU knocked them off in Caldwell.

The first Top 25 of the regular season will be released Sept. 2. A new poll will come out every two weeks after that.

 

RANK	SCHOOL [1st-place votes]	2025
1	Keiser (Fla.) [19]	19-3-2
2	Cumberlands (Ky.)	17-4-4
3	Embry-Riddle (Ariz.)	20-1-3
4	Oklahoma Wesleyan	21-2-2
5	Marian (Ind.)	20-1-2
6	Missouri Valley	18-1-4
7	John Brown (Ark.)	15-3-4
8	Truett McConnell (Ga.)	19-2-2
9	William Carey (Miss.)	20-2-0
10	College of Idaho	17-3-1
11	Indiana Wesleyan	15-4-1
12	Grace (Ind.)	16-2-5
13	Life (Ga.)	18-3-1
14	Taylor (Ind.)	14-3-3
15	MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)	14-4-2
16	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	10-6-2
17	Southeastern (Fla.)	13-3-3
18	Central Methodist (Mo.)	16-3-2
19	Cumberland (Tenn.)	11-5-1
20	Science & Arts (Okla.)	13-4-5
21	Spring Arbor (Mich.)	10-5-6
22	Georgia Gwinnett	10-6-5
23	Westcliff (Calif.)	17-2-1
24	Columbia (Mo.)	12-5-2
25	The Master's (Calif.)	15-4-3

Receiving Votes:Aquinas (Mich.), Xavier (La.), Northwestern Ohio, Tennessee Wesleyan, Hastings (Neb.), SCAD (Ga.), Southern Oregon, Tennessee Southern