Defending Lone Star Conference champion DBU is predicted to win another LSC women’s soccer championship according to the 2026 preseason poll, it was announced on Wednesday (Aug. 19). DBU’s McKenna Vela and Kenzi Tufts claimed preseason player of the year honors along UT Dallas’ Melyna Martinez.
The preseason poll and preseason players of the year are voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors and media members.
DBU totaled 662 points and collected 38 of the possible 45 first-place votes. Head coach Marcus Wood’s Patriots were 20-2 overall and 12-1 in league play last season. They won their sixth LSC regular season title, fourth LSC tournament crown, set a program record with 16 consecutive victories and reached the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals. DBU finished the season ranked No. 5 in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
Four-time LSC champion Midwestern State is the pick as conference runner-up with 583 points and two first-place votes. The Mustangs went 11-3-6 overall and 10-0-4 in league play last year and earned a NCAA tournament berth.
Texas Woman’s is picked to finish third with 581 points and three first-place votes. The Pioneers finished 16-4-3 overall and 9-2-3 in LSC action in 2025. They reached the LSC title match and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
UT Dallas is picked fourth with 556 points and one first-place vote. The Comets went 12-3-3 overall and 9-3-2 in LSC play last year. UT Tyler is fifth with 459 points, followed by St. Mary’s (443 points), five-time LSC champion Angelo State (434 points) and St. Edward’s (338 points) to round out what would be the potential eight qualifiers for the LSC tournament. StMU picked up the final first-place vote.
Lubbock Christian is in ninth place with 336 points and eight-time LSC champion West Texas A&M completes the top 10 with 266 points. Oklahoma Christian is 11th with 240 points, followed by Texas A&M International (194 points), UT Permian Basin (146 points) Sul Ross State (97 points) and Eastern New Mexico (63 points).
Vela was named LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The senior forward from Weatherford, Texas, led the league with 38 points, 14 goals and 37 shots on goal last season. Four of her scores were game-winners, which tied for tops in the LSC.
Tufts was named LSC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The junior from Southlake, Texas, led a unit that allowed just 11 goals and recorded 15 shutouts – both best marks in the conference – last year. She also added four goals and four assists.
Martinez was named LSC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. The graduate student from San Antonio, Texas, had a goals-against average of .70, recorded six clean sheets and made 59 saves for Angelo State last season. Martinez is the reigning LSC Goalkeeper of the Year.
Vela, Tufts and Martinez were all-LSC first team selections in 2025.
Additionally, 42 players – 15 offensive, 15 defensive and 12 goalkeepers, including Vela, Tufts and Martinez – were selected for the LSC Women’s Soccer Preseason Players to Watch list. The student-athletes were nominated by their member institution.
Notes:
- The LSC women’s soccer season begins as early as Aug. 27. To see the league schedule, click here.
- All 15 LSC women’s soccer teams are eligible to win the regular season title and advance to the LSC and NCAA Division II postseason tournaments.
- The eight-team LSC women’s soccer tournament will be held Oct. 30 (first round), Nov. 2 (quarterfinals), Nov. 5 (semifinals) and Nov. 8 (final). The first round and quarterfinal matches are played at the site of the higher seed. The semifinals and final rounds are hosted by the No. 1 seed.
- The NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Championship is set for Dec. 3 and 5 at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
- All LSC women’s soccer regular season and tournament matches can be viewed live on FloCollege. Monthly, yearly and family subscriptions are available.
2026 LSC WOMEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL, AWARDS, PLAYERS TO WATCH
Preseason Poll
| Rank |
School |
1st |
Total |
| 1 |
DBU |
38 |
662 |
| 2 |
Midwestern State |
2 |
583 |
| 3 |
Texas Woman’s |
3 |
581 |
| 4 |
UT Dallas |
1 |
556 |
| 5 |
UT Tyler |
|
459 |
| 6 |
St. Mary’s |
1 |
443 |
| 7 |
Angelo State |
434 |
| 8 |
St. Edward’s |
|
338 |
| 9 |
Lubbock Christian |
336 |
| 10 |
West Texas A&M |
266 |
| 11 |
Oklahoma Christian |
240 |
| 12 |
Texas A&M International |
194 |
| 13 |
UT Permian Basin |
148 |
| 14 |
Sul Ross State |
97 |
| 15 |
Eastern New Mexico |
63 |
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
McKenna Vela, F, Sr., DBU
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Kenzi Tufts, D, Jr., DBU
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Melyna Martinez, GK, Gr., UT Dallas
Offensive Players to Watch
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Class |
Major |
Hometown |
| Madison Bourzikas |
Angelo State |
F |
Jr. |
Commercial Aviation |
Burleson, Texas |
| McKenna Vela |
DBU |
F |
Sr. |
Finance |
Weatherford, Texas |
| Isabel Ramirez |
Eastern New Mexico |
MF |
Fr. |
Forensic Science |
El Paso, Texas |
| Riley Espinoza |
Lubbock Christian |
D |
Jr. |
Exercise Science |
Albuquerque, N.M. |
| Morgan Countryman |
Midwestern State |
F |
So. |
Nursing |
Rockwall, Texas |
| Caid Jefferson |
Oklahoma Christian |
F |
Jr. |
Nursing |
Yukon, Okla. |
| Annie Rocha |
St. Edward’s |
F |
Jr. |
Computer Science |
Austin, Texas |
| Elena Kossler |
St. Mary's |
F |
Sr. |
International & Global Studies |
Ötztal-Bahnhof, Austria |
| Chloe Post |
Sul Ross State |
F |
So. |
Kinesiology & HP |
Vidor, Texas |
| Tatiana Perez |
Texas A&M International |
F |
Fr. |
Psychology |
Barcelona, Spain |
| Giselle Gutierrez |
Texas Woman’s |
F |
Sr. |
Accounting |
Plano, Texas |
| Gabby Thompson |
UT Dallas |
F/MF |
Sr. |
Healthcare Studies |
Whitehouse, Texas |
| Mikaela Corral |
UT Permian Basin |
MF |
So. |
Finance |
Cypress, Texas |
| Ella Anderson |
UT Tyler |
F |
Jr. |
Nursing |
Anna, Texas |
| Sienna Hurrell |
West Texas A&M |
F |
Jr. |
Communications |
Kingston Upon Thames, England |
Defensive Players to Watch
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Class |
Major |
Hometown |
| Ashlyn Vick |
Angelo State |
D |
Sr. |
Education |
Trophy Club, Texas |
| Kenzi Tufts |
DBU |
D |
Jr. |
Biology |
Southlake, Texas |
| Vyaney Sanchez |
Eastern New Mexico |
D |
Jr. |
University Studies |
Kyle, Texas |
| Casey Storer |
Lubbock Christian |
D |
Sr. |
Business Admin. |
Keller, Texas |
| Bella Rose |
Midwestern State |
D |
So. |
Finance |
Wichita Falls, Texas |
| Ella Atkins |
Oklahoma Christian |
D |
Sr. |
Nursing |
Argyle, Texas |
| Tess Dabney |
St. Edward’s |
D |
So. |
Communications |
Houston, Texas |
| Marily Garza Contreras |
St. Mary's |
D |
So. |
Business & Law |
Duncanville, Texas |
| Sarah Anuskewicz |
Sul Ross State |
D |
Jr. |
Business Admin. |
Midland, Texas |
| Ana Lu Arroyo |
Texas A&M International |
D |
So. |
International Economics |
Tambor, Costa Rica |
| Lupita Bueno |
Texas Woman’s |
D |
Jr. |
Kinesiology |
Arlington, Texas |
| Kaley Robinson |
UT Dallas |
D/MF |
Sr. |
Psychology |
Argyle, Texas |
| Trinity Vasquez |
UT Permian Basin |
D |
So. |
Management |
Hobbs, N.M. |
| Sam White |
UT Tyler |
D |
So. |
Marketing |
Georgetown, Texas |
| Ryann Davis |
West Texas A&M |
D |
So. |
Health Sciences |
Amarillo, Texas |
Goalkeepers to Watch
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Class |
Major |
Hometown |
| Clair Stoermer |
Angelo State |
GK |
Jr. |
Biology |
Tyler, Texas |
| Leslie Miller |
DBU |
GK |
Jr. |
Biology: Pre Med |
Edmond, Okla. |
| Aja Gonzales |
Eastern New Mexico |
GK |
Jr. |
Health & Wellness |
Clovis, N.M. |
| Emma Wright |
Lubbock Christian |
GK |
Sr. |
Education |
Longview, Texas |
| Lauren Short |
Midwestern State |
GK |
So. |
Pre-Veterinary |
Frisco, Texas |
| Breanna Wooten |
Oklahoma Christian |
GK |
Sr. |
Business |
Wylie, Texas |
| Patricia Perez |
Texas A&M International |
GK |
Jr. |
Psychology |
Barcelona, Spain |
| Faith Graves |
Texas Woman’s |
GK |
Jr. |
Education |
Rockwall, Texas |
| Melyna Martinez |
UT Dallas |
GK |
Gr. |
Business Admin. |
San Antonio, Texas |
| Valeria Delgado |
UT Permian Basin |
GK |
Sr. |
Marketing |
San Jose, Costa, Rica |
| Robbi Curry |
UT Tyler |
GK |
Sr. |
Psychology |
Allen, Texas |
| Franciezca Blancaflor |
West Texas A&M |
GK |
Sr. |
Health Sciences |
Salado, Texas |