The 2026 Mid-American Conference preseason poll has placed the Western Michigan women's soccer team at the top, awarding them nine first‑place votes and a total of 119 points, underscoring the program’s recent dominance.
A Program Built on Winning
Over the past three seasons the Broncos have captured five MAC championships, including three regular‑season titles and two tournament victories, and they finished with a conference record of 26 wins, one loss and seven draws.
Their solitary conference defeat came at the hands of Northern Illinois, a team that no longer competes in the MAC, and they responded by defeating rivals such as Miami, Bowling Green, Buffalo and Kent State, outscoring those opponents 11‑4 across those matchups.
The poll also listed Miami in second place with 102 points, followed by Bowling Green, Buffalo and Kent State, while other contenders such as Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Ohio, UMass, Toledo, Central Michigan and Akron rounded out the rankings.
WMU has already translated preseason expectations into action, posting two exhibition victories over Purdue Fort Wayne and Oakland, and they are set to open the regular season at home against Colorado in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 27.
Season Opener on the Islands
Before that marquee matchup, the Broncos will host Saginaw Valley State tomorrow at 6 p.m., continuing a busy stretch that began with a win in Hawaii against Idaho.