The No. 16-ranked Ashland University women's soccer team is the prohibitive favorite to repeat as conference champion, as the 2025 Great Midwest Athletic Conference women's soccer coaches preseason poll was released on Wednesday (Aug. 27) afternoon.
Of 12 first-place votes, the Eagles received 11, as well as 133 voting points. Northwood is slotted second (115 voting points), Findlay is third (112 voting points), and Cedarville is picked fourth (one first-place vote, 110 voting points).
In 2024, Ashland finished 17-2-2 overall and 12-0-2 in the Great Midwest – winning both the league's regular-season and tournament championships. The Eagles also qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the sixth consecutive time, and were slotted No. 16 in the final United Soccer Coaches (USC) Top 25 NCAA Division II poll of 2024.
The 2025 AU season-opener will be Sept. 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Ferguson Field vs. No. 5 Grand Valley State. Ashland also will play at Ohio State in an exhibition game at noon on Sunday (Aug. 31).
On Sept. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Ferguson Field, the Eagles will attempt to break the NCAA Division II record for attendance (3,227). More information on the game can be found
HERE, and at the video link at left.
2025 GREAT MIDWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMEN'S SOCCER COACHES PRESEASON POLL
1. ASHLAND UNIVERSITY (11 first-place votes) - 133 points
2. Northwood - 115 points
3. Findlay - 112 points
4. Cedarville (1 first-place votes) - 110 points
5. Walsh - 88 points
6. Ohio Dominican - 78 points
7. Malone - 75 points
8. Thomas More - 67 points
9. Kentucky Wesleyan - 47 points
10. Ursuline - 45 points
11. Lake Erie - 37 points
12. Tiffin - 29 points
