WSOC | Gaels Picked Fourth in 2026 WCC Preseason Poll
8/5/2026 10:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
SAN BRUNO, Calif. — The West Coast Conference announced the 2026 Women's Soccer Preseason coaches poll on Wednesday, with Saint Mary's earning 60 points good for fourth place. Both goalkeeper Kate Plachy and forward Ashlyn Vaughn were named to the preseason team for the first time in their Saint Mary's careers to highlight the distinguished list of student-athletes.
Last season, the Gaels, led by head coach Theresa Romagnolo, had their best season since 2001, finishing second in the WCC with an overall record of 12-2-4. Their season included upsets over no. 16 Georgetown and eventual conference champions Pepperdine as the Gaels narrowly missed out on an at-large bid for a conference that has received multiple NCAA Tournament bids for 33 consecutive seasons. Saint Mary's will look to build on it's success from last season as they continue to prepare for the upcoming 2026 campaign, seeking their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001.
Kate Plachy had a historic 2025 season, starting in all 18 games, tallying 65 saves, and earning 12 wins. Plachy only allowed 11 goals all season and recorded 12 shutouts good for second most in a single-season in program history. She went on to be named WCC Goalkeeper of the Year, made All-WCC First Team, and made the United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team for one of the best goalkeeper seasons in program history.
After a standout freshman season, Ashlyn Vaughn finished with three goals and three assists over her 18 games played. She ended her first season of collegiate soccer ranked no. 57 in Top Drawer Soccer's Top-100 Freshmen list, was named to the WCC All-Freshman Team, and earned All-WCC Honorable Mention. The second-year forward will be at the center of the team's attack heading into the 2026 season.
The full 2026 preseason poll and team can be found below or at wccsports.com.
2026 Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
2026 All-WCC Women's Soccer Preseason Team
The Gaels are set to take on Cal in an exhibition match later this afternoon with kickoff slated for 4:00 p.m. Next week, the Gaels will travel down to Southern California to open the season at Long Beach State on Wednesday, August 12 at 7:00 p.m. All home and conference matches will be streamed live on ESPN+ and tickets can be bought online at smcgaels.com/tickets.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Last season, the Gaels, led by head coach Theresa Romagnolo, had their best season since 2001, finishing second in the WCC with an overall record of 12-2-4. Their season included upsets over no. 16 Georgetown and eventual conference champions Pepperdine as the Gaels narrowly missed out on an at-large bid for a conference that has received multiple NCAA Tournament bids for 33 consecutive seasons. Saint Mary's will look to build on it's success from last season as they continue to prepare for the upcoming 2026 campaign, seeking their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001.
Kate Plachy had a historic 2025 season, starting in all 18 games, tallying 65 saves, and earning 12 wins. Plachy only allowed 11 goals all season and recorded 12 shutouts good for second most in a single-season in program history. She went on to be named WCC Goalkeeper of the Year, made All-WCC First Team, and made the United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team for one of the best goalkeeper seasons in program history.
After a standout freshman season, Ashlyn Vaughn finished with three goals and three assists over her 18 games played. She ended her first season of collegiate soccer ranked no. 57 in Top Drawer Soccer's Top-100 Freshmen list, was named to the WCC All-Freshman Team, and earned All-WCC Honorable Mention. The second-year forward will be at the center of the team's attack heading into the 2026 season.
The full 2026 preseason poll and team can be found below or at wccsports.com.
2026 Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
| Place | Team | First Place | Points |
| 1. | Pepperdine | 9 | 81 |
| T-2. | Portland | 61 | |
| T-2. | Santa Clara | 61 | |
| 4. | Saint Mary's | 60 | |
| 5. | Seattle U | 1 | 54 |
| 6. | LMU | 39 | |
| 7. | Denver | 38 | |
| 8. | San Diego | 28 | |
| 9. | Pacific | 15 | |
| 10. | San Francisco | 13 |
2026 All-WCC Women's Soccer Preseason Team
| Name | Institution | Yr. | Pos. |
| Amanda Anders | San Diego | So. | F |
| Hailey Bagby | Portland | Sr. | D |
| Aliyah Dockter | Portland | Sr. | M |
| U'i Kaaihue | Seattle U | Sr. | M |
| Peyton Leonard | Pepperdine | Sr. | D |
| Kyra Murphy | Pepperdine | Sr. | M |
| Mailin Orozco | Santa Clara | Jr. | F |
| Kate Plachy | Saint Mary's | Jr. | GK |
| Julia Quinonez | Pepperdine | Sr. | F |
| Violet Rademacher | Portland | Gr. | M |
| Ashlyn Vaughn | Saint Mary's | So. | F |
The Gaels are set to take on Cal in an exhibition match later this afternoon with kickoff slated for 4:00 p.m. Next week, the Gaels will travel down to Southern California to open the season at Long Beach State on Wednesday, August 12 at 7:00 p.m. All home and conference matches will be streamed live on ESPN+ and tickets can be bought online at smcgaels.com/tickets.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
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