The No. 20-ranked Ashland University women's soccer team is back in the No. 3 spot in the Midwest Region, as the third set of NCAA Power Index (NPI) rankings for Division II were revealed on Monday (Oct. 26) afternoon.
With one game remaining in the regular season, the Eagles are 13-2-2 overall and 11-1-1 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. That last regular-season contest will be Tuesday (Oct. 27) at 7 p.m. at Cedarville (12-1-4, 10-0-3) – the stakes being that AU will win the conference regular-season title with a win or a draw.
"Some big results for us last week to put ourselves in a good position both in the conference and regionally," said Ashland head coach
Cayleb Paulino. "Three weeks ago, there was a big momentum shift when we dropped points. Since then, we have responded by stacking together wins.
"The group has redefined themselves. Getting back to who we have been these last six years and buying into each other. Games like this Tuesday, we put ourselves in the position we are in by the work we have invested in together."
NPI regional rankings will continue to be released in D-II women's soccer daily through the end of conference postseasons. The NCAA Division II women's soccer selection show will be on NCAA.com at 7 p.m. on Nov. 9.
Ashland women's soccer has qualified for the D-II postseason 15 previous times (1997-2004, 2018-19, 2021-25) – making the national semifinal in 1998.
A 56-team tournament (anywhere from 6-8 teams in each of eight regions), the D-II playoffs will begin on Nov. 13. The 2026 NCAA Division II women's soccer national championship game will be in Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 5.
In the Midwest Region, three automatic bids come from the tournament champions in the Great Midwest, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The other five bids are at-large. Thirty-seven teams are eligible for postseason – 12 from the Great Midwest, 10 from the GLIAC and 15 from the GLVC.
2026 NCAA DIVISION II MIDWEST REGION WOMEN'S SOCCER NPI RANKINGS
| TEAM |
THIRD RANKING |
SECOND RANKING |
FIRST RANKING |
| Missouri-St. Louis |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| Wayne State |
2 |
5 |
5 |
| ASHLAND UNIVERSITY |
3 |
4 |
3 |
| Cedarville |
4 |
2 |
4 |
| McKendree |
5 |
3 |
6 |
| Findlay |
6 |
7 |
7 |
| Grand Valley State |
7 |
6 |
1 |
| Thomas More |
8 |
8 |
8 |
| Northern Michigan |
9 |
9 |
9 |
| Davenport |
10 |
11 |
10 |
