HADDONFIELD, N.J. – After winning back-to-back women’s flag football championships in 2024 and 2025, Marymount has been selected as the top seed in the 2026 Atlantic East Women’s Flag Football Preseason Poll. Per the votes tallied by the coaches, the Saints received seven first place votes, totaling 63 points overall.

Marymount, who has remained the dominant force since flag football’s inaugural season, returns Head Coach Michael Rivera and co., who were tabbed as Co-Coaching Staff of the Year in 2025. Junior quarterback and 2025 First Team All-Conference selection Cara Vollmer posted a 74% passing percentage last season and will look to guide the Saints’ offense this year. She threw for 1,814 yards, throwing 38 touchdowns while rushing for 363 yards with seven touchdowns on the run. The Saints kick off spring action with an AEC tri-match on March 7, facing off against Immaculata and Holy family, before taking on NCAA D1 Mercyhurst University as a part of ECAC competition on Wednesday, March 11.

The Eagles of Eastern came second in the poll, receiving two first place votes and 58 total points. Head Coach Amanda Ruller led the program to a 14-4 record, 9-3 in AEC play, in its inaugural season last spring. She was honored with Co-Coaching Staff of the Year recognition and two First Team All-Conference selections in Kira Green and Damiyae Moyet. Green, in her first year, completed 174 passes for 1862 yards, a 63% passing percentage, totaling 19 touchdowns in the air and nine rushing scores. Moyet caught 44 passes, for 694 yards, scoring nine receiving touchdowns and tallied at least one reception in 16 straight games. On the defensive side of things, she had 53 tackles, third-most for the Eagles, along with four interceptions on the year.

Immaculata went 6-6 in conference play last year, making postseason play but bowing out in the semifinals to eventual champions, Marymount. The Mighty Macs received 42 points in the current poll and were awarded several All-Conference and major award nods last spring, with only one of those four players returning this season- First Team All-Conference selection Theresa Jappah, who was honored for her defensive performances. Jappah recorded one interception, for 37 yards, in her 14 games. She also totaled 42 tackles and forced one fumble.

Rounding out the top four was Holy Family who received 35 points after going 4-8 last year, missing out on tournament play. The Tigers were awarded the 2025 Player of the Year via Aalyce Davis, who returns for her junior campaign in the 2026 season. Davis rushed for 556 yards on 75 carries, scoring three rushing touchdowns. She threw three touchdowns on her 18 completed passes, while also tallying 28 receptions with one receiving touchdown. Davis also started punting in the final five games of the season, totaling 289 yards on 13 attempts, with her longest of the season going 32 yards. Defensively, she posted 54 tackles, took away three interceptions, and recovered two fumbles.

Fifth and sixth places were separated by just one, as Centenary totaled 32 points and Penn State Schuylkill received 31 points. The Cyclones went 6-6 in AEC play and were awarded First-Team All-Conference selections in Jenna Magrino and Brianna Worthy. Magrino punted for 418 yards, her longest of which went 40 yards on two occasions, rushing for eight touchdowns off of 761 yards with 20 receptions for 127 yards. On the other side of the ball, she posted 40 tackles, four interceptions, and recovered one fumble. 

The Lions went 1-14 last year in the program’s inaugural season. Head Coach Bryan Valentine has a much younger core this season, looking to fresh faces and energy to create more positive results. Sierra Wishnefsky, the team’s captain, enters into her senior campaign after a 2025 season in which she recorded 54 total tackles, with four sacks and three pass breakups. She also had 16 receptions for 91 yards. Sophomore, and defensive captain, Avagale Jones recorded 39 tackles and two interceptions last season. 

Neumann landed seventh after receiving 27 points, as Marywood would follow in eighth with 23 points. Chestnut Hill rounded out the group, receiving 19 total points.

Conference play begins on Saturday, March 7 with tri-matches hosted by Eastern, Immaculata, and Neumann. Postseason play will begin on Tuesday, April 21 with the sixth seed traveling to the third seed and the fifth seed traveling to the fourth seed. The winning teams will advance to championship day, where semifinals will take place between the #1 seed and the lowest remaining seed, and the #2 against the other semifinal winner, on either April 24, 25, or 26.

Women’s Flag Football Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Marymount - 63 (7) 
2. Eastern -  58 (2)
3. Immaculata -  42
4. Holy Family - 35
5. Centenary -  32
6. Penn State Schuylkill - 31
7. Neumann - 27
8. Marywood - 23
9. Chestnut Hill - 19

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