The Dordt University women's soccer team was picked fourth in the 2026 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) preseason poll released by the league office earlier today. This is the fourth preseason poll announced by the league office this fall. 

Voted upon by the 12 head coaches, the Defenders accounted for 96 points, well ahead of fifth place Doane and just four points in back of third place Concordia.

Hastings, who defeated the Defenders 1-0 in last year's GPAC Championship match, is picked to win the conference with 114 points and seven first place votes. Morningside, the GPAC regular season champion, was picked second and accumulated 110 points and five first place votes. 

Dordt wil open its 2026 season at home against Graceland on August 26. 

Notes:

• this is the Defenders second season under Head Coach Payton Chitwood, who is joined by assistant coaches Mary Doell (1st year) and Maddie Stacy (2nd year).
• Dordt finished the 2025 season with an 11-6-3 overall record, falling to Hastings (Neb.) 1-0 in the GPAC Championship match and one win shy of qualifying for the NAIA National Championship
• the Defenders went 7-2-2 and finished tied with Hastings (Neb.) for third place in the GPAC
  • Morningside won the conference regular season title with an 8-1-2 record
  • Concordia finished second (7-1-3)
  • Morningside and Hastings earned spots in the NAIA National Championship tournament
• Chitwood returns 20 players from the 2025 varsity squad, 14 who started at least one match
• four players, Maria Zylstra (2nd team), Lameese Batarseh (HM), Jenna Roberts (HM) and Joslyn Terpstra (HM), return after earning all-conference honors last year
• the combined 2025 record of the Defenders non-conference opponents is 33-59-12
• Dordt will play 11 GPAC matches, five at home and six on the road
  • the Defenders begin conference play at home against Concordia on Sept.19
• combined 2025 record of all 17 opponents: 115-147-46 (44% win)
• the GPAC Tournament will be on Nov. 3, 7 and 11