Lee was unveiled as the overwhelming favorite in 2026 Gulf South Conference women’s soccer preseason poll, as the league also announced its preseason all-conference team and Newcomers to Watch.
The preseason poll and selections were determined by the 12 GSC women’s soccer head coaches who could not vote for their them or student-athletes.
The Lady Flames topped the preseason top-spot for the first time since 2022, after receiving 10 of 11 possible first-place votes and amassing 120 points. Montevallo, last season’s tournament runner-up, finished second in the poll with 112 points and two first-place votes.
The preseason team consisted of 13 players from eight schools. Montevallo led the way with five honorees, including Lainey Farabaugh, who is the lone returning First Team All-GSC honoree from last season. She was joined by four second teamers including teammate Ayla Ertekin who also garnered Freshman of the Year accolades in 2025.
The Conference also revealed its 2026 Newcomers to Watch, highlighting 24 players from nine programs. Names and information were submitted by each team’s head coach.
The 2026 season begins Thursday, Aug. 27 with non-conference play, while league action kicks off on September 11-12. The GSC Women’s Soccer Championship is set for November 1-8, with the semifinal (Nov. 6) and title game (Nov. 8) rounds returning to the Loretta P. Spencer Sports Complex in Huntsville, Ala. Click
here for the full schedule.
2026 GSC Women’s Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll
1. Lee (10), 120 points
2. Montevallo (2), 112 points
3. West Alabama, 94 points
4. Delta State, 87 points
5. Mississippi Christian, 86 points
6. Valdosta State, 64 points
7. UAH, 61 points
8. Spring Hill, 48 points
9. Union, 43 points
10. Trevecca Nazarene, 38 points
11. AUM, 27 points
12. Christian Brothers, 12 points
First-place votes in parentheses
2026 GSC Women’s Soccer Preseason Team
Carley White, Sr., M, UAH
Millie Congerton, Sr., F, Delta State
Whitney Carrigan, Jr., D, Lee
Megan Davis, Jr., M, Lee^
Isabel Dillehay, Sr., F, Montevallo
Ayla Ertekin, So., F, Montevallo^
Lainey Farabaugh, Sr., M, Montevallo*
Shelby Irwin, Gr., D, Montevallo
Madysen Legere, Gr., D, Montevallo^
Sofia Jimenez Garcia, Sr., M, Spring Hill
Rebekah Jackson, Sr., F, Union
Yumari Hernandez, So., GK, West Alabama^
Santanna O’Grady, Sr., D, West Alabama
Organized alphabetically by school
* 2025 First Team All-GSC
^ 2025 Second Team All-GSC
2026 GSC Women’s Soccer Newcomers to Watch
AC Blackaby, UAH (Fr., M/F, Cleveland, Tenn.)
Tuva Lundström, UAH (Fr., M, Stockholm, Sweden)
Eva Hendriks, AUM (FR., F, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Lily Hillegas, AUM (Fr., D, Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Rachel Wain, AUM (Fr., F, Fishers, Ind.)
Lille Grace McCuthen, Mississippi Christian (Jr., M, Oxford, Miss.)
Kerri Ann O’Hara, Mississippi Christian (Jr., F, Tubbercurry, Ireland)
Emma Arkus, Montevallo (Gr., D, Long Beach)
Mia Matherne, Montevallo (Fr., M, Pensacola, Fla.)
Karsyn Ross, Montevallo (So., M, Kelso, Wash.)
Clemence Raoult, Spring Hill (Jr., M, Mauguio, France)
Miranda Reyna Campos, Spring Hill (Fr., D, Saltillo, Mexico)
Baileigh Rumage, Spring Hill (Fr., F/M, Birmingham, Ala.)
Elsa Bengtsson, Trevecca Nazarene (So., F, Tyreso, Sweden)
Emma Burnham, Trevecca Nazarene (So., D, Eastham, England)
Olivia Ulfvin, Trevecca Nazarene (Fr., D, Stockholm, Sweden)
Putri Ardana, Union (Fr., F, Auckland, New Zealand)
Isla Bute, Union (Fr., M/D, Bozeman, Mont.)
Brinley Linnenbringer, Union (Fr., M/F, St. Louis, Mo.)
Ava DeChellis, Valdosta State (Fr., M, Welland, Ont., Canada)
Natalie Ocampo, Valdosta State (Fr., M, Orlando, Fla.)
Tianna Kylsh, West Alabama (Jr., F, Winnipeg, Mantioba, Canada)
Sophia Perez Jimenez, West Alabama (Jr., M, Parras Coahilia, Mexico)
Kya Jacobs, West Alabama (So., F, Guelph, Ontario, Canada)
Organized alphabetical by school