Preseason Favorites
The Atlantic Coast Conference coaches poll released this week placed the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the top of the 2026 women's soccer preseason rankings, awarding them seven first-place votes and positioning them ahead of traditional powerhouses such as Stanford, Duke, Florida State and North Carolina.
The Fighting Irish will begin their campaign with exhibition matches against Northwestern on August 5 and Bowling Green on August 8 before opening the official season against Samford on August 12, giving the squad a chance to fine-tune before conference play.
Key Honorees
Alongside the team’s top billing, three Irish athletes earned spots on the 2026 Preseason All-ACC Team. Senior forward Izzy Engle, who captured the ACC Offensive Player of the Year award last season and was a MAC Hermann Trophy finalist, joins midfielder Annabelle Chukwu, a first-team All-ACC selection and USC All-American second-team honoree, and defender Abby Mills, a key contributor from the previous campaign.
Other notable selections on the preseason All-ACC squad include Duke’s midfielder Cameron Roller and forward Mia Minestrella, Florida State’s defender Wrianna Hudson and forward Janet Okeke, as well as North Carolina’s Bella Devey, Stanford’s Caroline Birkel and Charlotte Kohler, and Wake Forest’s Kylie Maxwell, underscoring the depth of talent across the league.
With a strong returning core and high preseason expectations, Notre Dame’s coaching staff is emphasizing consistency and defensive solidity as they aim to translate early momentum into a championship run.