INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The Lake Erie College women's soccer team was selected to finish fifth in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Preseason Coaches Poll, released on Thursday.

Ashland University claimed the top spot in the poll with 119 points and 10 first-place votes, while Cedarville checked in second with 110 points and two first-place votes. Findlay (109 pts.) and Northwood (94 pts.) joined Lake Erie (78 pts.) in the top five. 

The Storm is coming off an impressive 10-5-4 campaign, which featured a 7-3-4 mark in league play and the team's first postseason appearance since 2017. 

"I am really excited to see us build off last season's success and continue in an upward direction," said reigning G-MAC Coach of the Year Carl Contrascier. "The fifth-place selection gives us some motivation to prove to ourselves and our peers that we can surpass that prediction"

Behind a stingy rearguard that produced seven clean sheets last fall, the Storm finished with a goals-against average of 1.0 while scoring 25 times over 19 fixtures in 2025. 

Despite losing seven starters, LEC still returns senior goalkeeper Morgan Vanmeter and top goal scorer Isabella Carvalho. A native of Magnolia, Ohio, Vanmeter finished fourth in the conference in shutouts (6) and goals-against average (1.03), while Carvalho led the Storm with five tallies as a freshman.

Furthermore, Coach Contrascier and his staff added 16 newcomers to the roster to help bolster the competitiveness of the program. 

LEC opens its season on Thursday, August 27, at IUP before taking to home soil on September 2 against Wheeling at 7 p.m. The G-MAC slate commences on September 10 at Kentucky Wesleyan. 

2026 Women's Soccer G-MAC Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Ashland- 119 points (10 first place votes)
2. Cedarville- 110 points (2 first place votes)
3. Findlay- 109 points 
4. Northwood- 94 points
5. Lake Erie- 78 points
6. Thomas More- 62 points
7. Walsh - 61 points
t8. Ohio Dominican- 44 points
t8. Malone- 44 points
10. Tiffin- 40 points 
11. Ursuline-19 points 
12. Kentucky Wesleyan- 12 points