Rock Hill, S.C.----The South Atlantic Conference announced the preseason women's soccer coaches poll Monday morning, with the Wingate University Bulldogs checking in at fourth in the poll, voted on by the league's head coaches. In addition, four Bulldogs have earned preseason accolades.
Ellie Polk is a preseason first team All-SAC honoree, while
Katie Ensalaco,
Audur Halldorsdottir and
Angela Maino have been named SAC Players to Watch.
Catawba is the preseason favorite, earning six of the 11 first-place votes, while Lenoir-Rhyne is second, collecting four first-place votes. Anderson is third, followed by Wingate, who also picked up a first-place vote. Coker checks in at fifth, while Carson-Newman, LMU and Tusculum round out the top eight. Newberry is ninth, with Emory & Henry and Mars Hill finishing out the poll.
Polk, Ensalaco, Halldorsdottir and Maino earned league honors in 2025. Polk was a second team All-SAC forward, while Maino was a third team forward. Ensalaco and Halldosdottir were named third team midfielders in 2025.
The Bulldogs open up the season this week with a pair of games. Wingate hosts Barton Thursday at 6 p.m. to kick off the season. The 'Dogs then travel to Belmont Abbey Saturday at 7 p.m.
2026 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
| Rnk |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
Catawba (6) |
96 |
| 2 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
92 |
| 3 |
Anderson (4) |
76 |
| 4 |
Wingate (1) |
72 |
| 5 |
Coker |
66 |
| 6 |
Carson-Newman |
58 |
| t7 |
Lincoln Memorial |
42 |
| t7 |
Tusculum |
42 |
| 9 |
Newberry |
26 |
| 10 |
Emory & Henry |
23 |
| 11 |
Mars Hill |
12 |
Preseason All-Conference
F – Bree Ehmer, Catawba
F – Katie Durham, Lenoir-Rhyne
F – Ellie Polk, Wingate
F – Ansley Douty, Anderson
MF – Ava Hartman, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Ella Wilke, Coker
MF – Ella Matthews, Catawba
MF – Hannah Denton, Coker
D – Reese Robinson, Catawba
D – Lucy Hack, Catawba
D – Lauren Monday, Anderson
D – Ali Skinner, Catawba
GK – Madison Gutierrez, Newberry
Players to Watch
Anderson
Whitley Anderson
Carson-Newman
Alayna Corbitt
Malia Kim
Iris Palsdottir
Coker
Emma Brandt
Alexis Spivey
Emory & Henry
Bella Fairley
Cristina Ciofani
Elloree Kieffer
Lenoir-Rhyne
Mya Rivera
Ingrid Krakhellen
Rosa Gonzalez
Lincoln Memorial
Donna van der Zalm
Emma Cooke
Jade Brown
Mars Hill
Kayleigh Mallare
Sailor Clare
Avery Brechbiel
Newberry
Molly Quartly
Mikaela Warburton
Tusculum
Carme Escamilla
Kirsten Sadlon
Brynn Stokes
Wingate
Angela Maino
Katie Ensalaco
Audur Halldorsdottir
