ST LOUIS, MO. – Indiana State women's soccer has been voted sixth in the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll, as announced Tuesday by the league office. The Sycamores earned 58 points in the coaches' vote, landing just one point behind Southern Illinois and within striking distance of the league's upper tier heading into the fall.

Drake, the defending regular-season champion, topped the MVC poll with 96 points and seven first-place votes. Illinois State (83 points, two first-place votes), UIC (77), Murray State (69, one first-place vote), and Southern Illinois (59) rounded out the top five ahead of the Sycamores.

Indiana State was also represented on the 2026 MVC Preseason Team, with sophomore defender Riley Mathews earning a spot among the league's top returning players. Mathews anchors the Sycamore back line after a standout 2025 campaign and is one of 13 student-athletes selected to the preseason squad.

The MVC's preseason team features three forwards, four midfielders, five defenders, and one goalkeeper. Drake led all programs with four selections, while Illinois State placed two on the list, including goalkeeper Madi Valenti, who was also named to the United Soccer Coaches Division I Players to Watch list. Murray State forward Breece Bass joined Valenti on the national watch lists as the MVC's representatives.

Indiana State opens the 2026 season this week, as the Sycamores continue building momentum under head coach Paul Lawrence. ISU returns a strong defensive core, key midfield experience, and an incoming class ready to compete in one of the nation's most balanced conferences.

Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on Sycamore Soccer, visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from the both the App Store and the Google Play Store.