United States Soccer Coaches dropped its respective preseason top 25 polls for both D1 men’s and women’s soccer. WVU made the cut on both fronts, with both squads entering the season with high expectations at the national level. Read more: United States Soccer Coaches Top 25 lists show love to both Mountaineer soccer programs.
WVU Women’s Soccer clocked in at No. 20, while WVU Men’s Soccer checked in at No. 23. Both teams are coming off NCAA Tournament appearances and overall successful seasons in 2025, respectively.
No. 20 – WVU Women’s Soccer
The Mountaineers dropped one spot in the preseason poll after finishing the 2025 season (14-3-4) at No. 19. That spot now belongs to Georgia, who finished unranked in the final 2025 poll. WVU sits ahead of the following schools:
- No. 21 Memphis
- No. 22 Wisconsin
- No. 23 Texas Tech
- No. 24 Tennessee
- No. 25 Clemson
Two Big 12 teams stand above the Mountaineers in the poll. TCU is the highest-ranked of the bunch at No. 6, with Colorado sitting at No. 13. The conference is also represented at No. 23 with the aforementioned Red Raiders. BYU and Baylor also received votes, but did not make the cut.
Related: One month out: WVU Women’s Soccer
Of the Big 12 teams listed above, ranked or not, WVU is scheduled to play all five.
- Baylor (NR, getting votes): September 18 (home, 7 p.m.)
- No. 13 Colorado: September 24 (away, 9 p.m.)
- BYU (NR, getting votes): October 8 (home, 7 p.m.)
- No. 23 Texas Tech: October 22 (away, 8 p.m.)
- No. 6 TCU: October 30 (home, 7 p.m.)
The Big 12 Coaches’ Poll slates WVU tied with Kansas in third place. TCU and Colorado are predicted first and second, respectively.
In addition, WVU plays Penn State (NR, getting votes) on August 20.
No. 23 – WVU Men’s Soccer
The Mountaineers enter at No. 23 in the preseason poll following a 13-5-3 run in 2025. WVU sits ahead of UConn and University of Missouri-Kansas City.
WVU Men’s Soccer is one of only two Sun Belt Conference programs listed in the poll, with fierce in-state rival Marshall checking in at No. 17. The Thundering Herd broke the hearts of the Mountaineer Faithful in the Sun Belt Semifinals last year, pulling off a 3-2, double-overtime win in Morgantown. WVU at least took the most recent regular season meeting, 3-0.
Despite sitting several spots behind MU, the Sun Belt’s preseason polls are predicting WVU to finish first, with the Herd sitting in second. It should make for a tight race all season long.
Kentucky is only other Sun Belt squad mentioned. The Wildcats received five votes, but did not make it into the top 25.
The Mountaineers play Marshall in Huntington on September 27 and play host to Kentucky on October 16.
Related: One month out: WVU Men’s Soccer
As for other notable matchups, WVU plays back-to-back ranked opponents in non-conference action. The old gold and blue travel to North Carolina to battle No. 14 UNC-Greensboro on August 28, before returning home to welcome No. 12 Akron on September 3.
To note, High Point is not on the 2026 schedule, but took out the Mountaineers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament a year ago. HPU is now ranked No. 16.
Georgetown, ranked No. 5, will see WVU this year. However, it is a preseason exhibition set for August 14.
From prediction to reality soon
No. 20 WVU Women’s Soccer officially kicks off the 2026-27 athletic year when it opens up at home against Dayton on August 13. WVU Men’s Soccer has exhibitions as soon as August 7 (Pitt), but starts its 2026 schedule August 20, when the Mountaineers play at Charlotte.
Soon, preseason rankings will be an afterthought. Until then, the polls make for a good talking point.
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