OVERLAND PARK – Benedictine Women's Soccer has been selected to finish fourth in the 2026 Heart Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The Poll, selected by the Heart of America Athletic Conference head coaches, was announced on Wednesday with the Ravens earning a total of 178 points. Reigning Heart Tournament Champions, Missouri Valley College, earned 213 points and 9 first-place votes as the preseason favorite. Central Methodist University, the regular-season champion, was second with 211 points and 6 first-place votes while MNU rounded out the top three with 205 points.
All three teams selected ahead of Benedictine qualified for the 2025 NAIA National Tournament with MNU and Missouri Valley making it to the final site. Missouri Valley advanced the furthers, falling in the Quarterfinals to eventual national champions Keiser (Fla.).
The Ravens finished 2025 with an overall record of 13-5-2 while going 8-3-2 in Heart play, where they finished fourth and hosted a Heart Tournament Quarterfinal match.
Benedictine returns four its it five All-Heart selections from last season. Payton Vogelbacher was a first-team selection and returns as the Ravens top scorer with 36 points (15 goals, 6 assists). The Ravens return two all-conference defenders in Eva Andrews (second team) and Reagyn Messenger (third team) from a team that limited opponents to 0.95 goals per match while recording 11 shutouts. Rowan Yows is the final all-conference selection, earning third team honors. Yows returns as the Ravens third leading scorer with 17 points (5 goals, 7 assists). The 2025 Ravens finished with 7 players with 10 or more points (goals plus assists) and return 6 of those for the 2026 season.
To see the full Preseason Coaches' Poll release, visit https://heartofamericaconference.com/sports/wsoc/2026-27/releases/20260812l0mclu.
Benedictine opens the season on the road, Aug. 20, traveling to Siloam Springs, Ark., to take on 2025 NAIA tournament qualifier John Brown University, before making their debut on Legacy Field on Aug. 29 at 5 p.m. against Ottawa University.
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