No. 22 AU Women Picked To Three-Peat As Great Midwest Champion

One of the National Football League's top dynasties, the San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s, couldn't extend that to begin the 1990s, and missed out on a Super Bowl three-peat during the 1990 season.
 
What those 49ers missed out on, Ashland University's women's soccer team will look to accomplish in 2026 Great Midwest Athletic Conference play, as the No. 22-ranked Eagles have been picked to win a third consecutive league championship this fall.
 
"I am excited about conference play and where we're picked to be," said Eagle head coach Cayleb Paulino. "At the end of the day, you have to prove it and show the standard and expectation here."
 
The 2026 poll has Ashland with 119 voting points and 10 first-place votes. Cedarville is picked second (110 voting points, two first-place votes), and Findlay third (109 voting points).
 
Eagle women's soccer was 14-3-5 overall and 10-0-4 in the Great Midwest in 2025, winning both the conference's regular-season and tournament titles, and was victorious in the first round of the NCAA postseason. Ashland has reached the NCAA Division II postseason for seven straight seasons it has been contested (2018-19, 2021-25).
 
With Great Midwest regular-season titles in 2021, 2024 and 2025, the Eagles also will look to win a fourth over a six-season span.
 
Ashland boasts four returning All-Great Midwest players in sophomore forward Tessa Blain, senior defender Adi Turnbaugh and junior forward Sofia Divine (all first team), and senior defender Clara Richardson (second team).
 
The Eagles' 2026 season will begin with a Top 25 match-up at Ferguson Field on Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. vs. No. 19 Grand Valley State. AU's Great Midwest lid-lifter will be Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. at Tiffin.
  1. ASHLAND UNIVERSITY – 119 points (10 first-place votes)
2. Cedarville – 110 points (2 first-place votes)
3. Findlay – 109 points
4. Northwood – 94 points
5. Lake Erie – 78 points
6. Thomas More – 62 points
7. Walsh – 61 points
T8. Ohio Dominican – 44 points
T8. Malone – 44 points
10. Tiffin – 40 points
11. Ursuline – 19 points
12. Kentucky Wesleyan – 12 points