CLEVELAND, Ohio –The 2026 NFHCA Preseason National Coaches’ Poll was announced on Tuesday and shows a pair of Mid-American Conference squads nationally ranked.

The Miami RedHawks come in at No. 10 in the preseason rankings, while the UMass Minutewomen follow closely at No. 15. The two teams each clinched a share of the 2025 MAC Regular Season title, and last met in an instant classic of a MAC Tournament Championship that saw Miami secure a 2-1 double overtime win.

Miami welcomes back MAC Offensive Player of the Year, Malena Sabez, who led the conference with 25 goals one season ago. The RedHawks also return the 2025 MAC Freshman of the Year in Justina Intzes after 20 goals of her own last year. In total, Miami brings back nine different players who logged 500+ minutes in 2025.

The RedHawks start their 2026 campaign this weekend in Kentucky, beginning the year at 1PM ET on Friday afternoon at No. 19 Louisville prior to a 1PM ET matchup with Indiana on Saturday.

One season after winning the MAC Regular Season Championship, the UMass Minutewomen open their season on Saturday in a neutral-site game against No. 8 Liberty.

Also ranked are UMass opponents Harvard (4), Liberty (8), Miami OH (10) and UConn (11).

UMass returns its top two point-getters from last season and nine of its top 12, with Emily Barrett tallying 18 points (eight goals, two assists) and Fiene Jenniskens recording 17 (one goal, 15 assists). Much of the team's back line returns as well. The Minutewomen stand 33-10 over the last two seasons, which included a national semifinal appearance in 2024.

The season opens this weekend with two games at the University of Maine: against No. 8 Liberty on Saturday and the host Black Bears on Sunday. Both games are set for 12 p.m. with live stats both games and a live stream available Sunday.