Haddonfield. N.J. – Following a semifinal upset of the top seed and a subsequent 4-0 win over Gwynedd Mercy in the 2025 AEC Championship final, the Saints of Marymount have been tabbed the favorite to take home the title once again.
Marymount tallied 25 points and five first place votes. The Saints return 2025 AEC Rookie of the Year, Arianna Blanco, who led the team in goals (11) and points (27). Two-time AEC First Team All-Conference selection Nicole Alvarado, who tallied eight goals and six assists in 2025, also returns alongside Leila Lajdel , a three-time AEC All-Conference selection.
Pratt landed second in the poll, receiving 18 points. Led by head Coach Travis Blair, the Cannoneers, who were awarded Coaching Staff of the Year in 2025, will aim to continue the program's upward trajectory. Gwynedd Mercy, the 2025 AEC Championship runner-up, received 17 points, good for third place, narrowly edging out Immaculata who received 16 points and the final first place vote.
Centenary landed fifth with nine points, as Saint Elizabeth rounded out the group with five points, for a sixth place finish.
Teams kick off regular season play on Tuesday, September 1st. Conference play begins on Saturday, October 3rd, with Pratt hosting Gwynedd Mercy, Marymount hosting Saint Elizabeth, and Immaculata traveling to Centenary.
The 2026 Atlantic East Tournament is set to begin with quarterfinals on Saturday, October 31st, followed by semifinals on Wednesday, November 4th. The championship, which is hosted by the highest remaining seed, will take place on Saturday, November 7th.
Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Poll
1. Marymount - 25 (5)
2. Pratt - 18
3. Gwynedd Mercy - 17
4. Immaculata - 16 (1)
5. Centenary - 9
6. Saint Elizabeth - 5
ABOUT ATLANTIC EAST
The Atlantic East Conference is a member of NCAA Division III comprising six institutions in a four-state area - Gwynedd Mercy and Immaculata Universities in Pennsylvania; Centenary and Saint Elizabeth Universities in New Jersey, Marymount University in Virginia, and Pratt Institute in New York.
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