NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The Saint Anselm College women's soccer team has been selected to finish second in the Northeast 10 Conference, according to the 2026 NE10 Women's Soccer Coaches' Poll, announced Thursday afternoon.

The Hawks received 71 points and one first-place vote in the preseason poll, finishing behind Franklin Pierce, which collected 77 points and seven first-place votes. Adelphi and Saint Michael's each received one of the remaining two first-place votes and were picked third and fourth, respectively.

Saint Anselm enters the 2026 campaign receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA DII Preseason Poll following a historic first season under head coach Lee Moyce. In 2025, Moyce guided the Hawks to both the Northeast 10 Conference regular season and postseason titles for the first time since 1994 and was named the NE10 Coach of the Year.

The Hawks finished the season with a 10-3-5 overall record and an unbeaten 7-0-2 mark in NE10 play. Saint Anselm captured the NE10 Championship after advancing through both postseason contests in penalty kicks and earned the No. 1 seed in the East Region of the NCAA Division II Championship for the first time in program history.

Saint Anselm finished the 2025 season receiving votes in the final United Soccer Coaches Poll after appearing in the national top 25 twice during the year, including a No. 17 ranking in week nine. The Hawks also earned a program-record 11 NE10 All-Conference selections under Moyce.

Junior Meghan Deneen returns to the Hawks after earning United Soccer Coaches All-East Region First Team honors in 2025. Deneen led the team with 20 points on eight goals and four assists. Fellow juniors Kaitlyn LeBrun and Catherine McCarthy also return after receiving All-East Region First Team and Second Team honors, respectively, last season.

Franklin Pierce topped the 10-team preseason poll with 77 points, followed by Saint Anselm with 71. Adelphi (62), Saint Michael's (59), Southern New Hampshire (50), Bentley (44), Pace (30), Assumption (25), American International (18), and Southern Connecticut State (14) rounded out the poll.

The Hawks open the 2026 season on Sunday, August 30 against Post University at LaMoy Field at 1 p.m. Saint Anselm makes its home debut on Friday, September 4, hosting No. 11 Jefferson at 4 p.m.

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