KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2026 NAIA Women’s Soccer season begins tomorrow, August 20, when countable games get underway. 197 teams across 19 conferences all begin with one goal in mind. That goal is to be playing soccer come December in Decatur, Alabama, at Jack Allen Sports Complex, battling it out for the coveted Red Banner.
Keiser (Fla.), the defending national champions from the 2025 season, begin their journey where they left off, at the top with 19 first-place votes. This marks just the second time since 1999 that the Seahawks have opened a season at No. 1, the last in 2021. Cumberlands (Ky.), last year’s runner-up, will open the 2026 season at No. 2, while Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) and Oklahoma Wesleyan begin at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, after both squads made deep postseason runs last year.
2025 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Champions
2025 Runner up
2025 semifinals
2025 semifinals
2025 quarterfinals
2025 quarterfinals
2025 quarterfinals
2025 quarterfinals
2025 round of 16
| Rank | Team [First-Place Votes] | 2025 Record |
|---|---|---|
| 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
The first regular season NAIA Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 poll will be released on Wednesday, September 2.
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