No. 1 Northwestern (2-0, Big Ten)
Movement: idle
Last Week: 2-0 W vs. VCU, 1-0 W vs. Lafayette
This Week: vs. No. 6 Duke, at Boston College
With the absences of Ashley Sessa and Olivia Bent-Cole, we saw a different Northwestern lineup than we’ll see once we get to conference play. But the most encouraging thing to see for ‘Cats faithful was Jess Freedman’s success in the offense, as she put away two of NU’s three goals over the weekend. This Friday against No. 6 Duke will be its first true test of the year — especially for its transfers
and first-year class.
No. 2 Princeton (0-0, Ivy League)
Movement: +1
Last Week: idle
This Week: vs. Old Dominion, at No. 10 North Carolina
We haven’t seen the Tigers on the pitch as of yet, but what we do know is this: no Beth Yeager. How does that affect this year’s squad?
Well that means Ottilie Sykes, Pru Lindsey and Lilly Wojcik all need to step up.
Sykes was one of the best backs in the nation last year, especially on Princeton’s penalty corner defense. However, for the 2025 national runner-up to excel, she might need a larger stake in the offense alongside Lindsey and Wojcik, who combined for 32 points — 25 of which belonged to Lindsey, who caught fire after being completely silenced in her first eight games last year.
A lot to be discovered about the Tigers, but a win over a reeling No. 10 UNC could instill some real confidence into this squad.
No. 3 Harvard (0-0, Ivy League)
Movement: +1
Last Week: idle
This Week: vs. UMass Lowell, vs. No. 9 UConn
Expectations are sky high for the Crimson after a gut-wrenching loss in the Final Four, so much so that they edged out Princeton in for the top spot in the Ivy League preseason polls.
A lot of that faith in Harvard can be attributed to a returning Sage Piekarski, who earned herself co-Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in goals last season. She has her eyes set on the career points record, sitting in seventh place all-time with 75, 35 points back of Marissa Balleza’s record set at the conclusion of the 2016 season.
Martha le Huray is Piekarski’s partner in crime in 2026 after solidifying herself as the Crimson’s second leading scorer last year en route to a First Team All-Ivy selection. This Sunday brings a rematch of the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal, when le Huray booked Harvard its ticket to Durham with the deciding goal in its 1-0 win over the Huskies. That game is by far the Crimson’s biggest before they start conference play.
No. 4 Iowa (2-0, Big Ten)
Movement: +7
Last Week: 4-3 (OT) W at No. 7 Wake Forest, 3-2 W vs. No. 2 North Carolina
This Week: vs. Lehigh, vs. Ball State
Everyone seemed to put Iowa on the back burner after its early NCAA Tournament exit a year ago. Dionne van Aalsum and the rest of the Hawkeyes made sure to let everyone know that they’re coming to dethrone Northwestern this season.
Toughness and perseverance were on full display from the jump, as the Hawkeyes erased a three-goal deficit to beat Wake Forest in their season opener. Frederique van Cleef was the star of the entire weekend, bookending the comeback effort with goal to start and an assist to end. van Aalsum and Meg Tebben sandwiched scores inbetween van Cleef’s and Reine van Hoof’s game winner in the 4-0 run.
While Friday belonged to the resilient Iowa offense, Sunday belonged to the lockdown Iowa goalkeeper Abby Johnson. Despite UNC letting off 25 shots, it wasn’t able to pull out a win, in large part due to Johnson’s nine saves.
When the Tar Heels seemed to pull ahead, van Aalsum and van Cleef found responses and Rachel Herbine came up with the knockout blow in the third quarter to secure the victory.
We’ve got some chaos in the polls, but we’re not done yet.
No. 5 Virginia (1-0, ACC)
Movement: idle
Last Week: 4-3 (OT) W vs. Penn State
This Week: at No. 20 Rutgers, vs. Ohio State
This game could’ve gone extremely bad for the Cavaliers, blowing a three-goal lead in the final 12 minutes of regulation. Luckily for them, star Mia Abelllo bailed them out in overtime with a penalty corner goal.
In hindsight, this game could mean one of two things.
- Virginia’s dispatch in the NCAA Tournament last season was a precursor to an internal issue that causes it to crumble under pressure.
- Hannah Prince has lit a fire under Penn State that will make them formidable this season.
Time will tell, but despite the victory, this past weekend wasn’t the start that UVA was seeking. It’ll need a convincing weekend to get back on track.
No. 6 Duke (2-0, ACC)
Movement: idle
Last Week: 7-0 W vs. William & Mary, 1-0 W at Richmond
This Week: vs. No. 1 Northwestern, vs. No. 13 Maryland
The disparity of opponents in the first two weekends of the season for the Blue Devils may stretch as far as the east does from the west. It’s an insane turnaround.
It was the Ashley Stockdale show for Duke last weekend: three goals — a brace in the season opener and the lone score in the Sunday matinee. Juliette Schulten has already surpassed her point total from 2025 with a brace of her own in game one.
Defense was suffocating all weekend long, as Richmond and William & Mary combined for two total shots on goal over the weekend.
Everything went right for the blue. But now, they’ve gotta saddle up against some of the nation’s best.
No. 7 Wake Forest (1-1, ACC)
Movement: idle
Last Week: 4-3 (OT) L vs. No. 11 Iowa, 2-0 W vs. No. 14 Michigan
This Week: vs. Ohio
The way the Deacs’ lost to Iowa was completely deflating, but their response against another great Big Ten team in Michigan was extremely crucial and much needed. They shut down the Wolverines the entire first half, not allowing a single shot, then Ruby Butterfield came on to put a lid on the cage in the second.
What’s interesting about this Wake Forest team is their diversity in goal scorers. Five goals, five different goal scorers this weekend. A lot of that may have something to do with Mia Schoenbeck being abroad to play for Team U.S.A, but if this trend continues down the stretch, it’ll be scary for other squads to try to suppress.
No. 8 Michigan (1-1, Big Ten)
Movement: +6
Last Week: 2-1 (OT) W vs. No. 2 North Carolina, 2-0 L at No. 7 Wake Forest
This Week: vs. Kent State, vs. Vermont
Knocking off the national no. 2 to start the season was the biggest of launching pads for another Big Ten team looking to overcome the Wildcats. Although Sofia Ghanbari had her moment in overtime, the stars of the upset win were the back line for U-M, who held the Heels scoreless through the first 48 minutes of the game. The lone UNC goal in the fourth was the only shot that landed on cage, and no, they weren’t afforded a penalty corner all game. Eva Bernardy led the charge on the defensive end and contributed a score to the winning effort to lock up Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors.
No. 9 UConn (1-1, Big East)
Movement: +2
Last Week: 5-0 W vs. New Hampshire, 4-1 W at No. 20 Saint Joseph’s
This Week: at Brown, at No. 3 Harvard
UConn is one of those bubble teams when it comes to Final Four conversation. If the chips settle correctly, it has a shot. This weekend was a good start.
Lucy Zich and Abby Davidson dominated the weekend for the Huskies, the former with a brace in the first contest, the latter with one in the second. The most encouraging part of it all? The youth amongst the top line of the attack. Dusseldorf native Zich is beginning her freshman campaign besides Davidson, who played in every game last season, but only put three shots in the back of the net.
The new blood for UConn has risen to the forefront. A great sign to see.
No. 10 North Carolina (0-2, ACC)
Movement: -8
Last Week: 2-1 (OT) L vs. No. 14 Michigan, 3-2 L vs. No. 11 Iowa
This Week: vs. Penn, vs. No. 2 Princeton
The losses for North Carolina this week were more marginal than they seem. Extremely competitive games that could’ve swung both ways.
After conceding the game’s first goal to the Wolverines last Friday, Charly Bruder found a response just nine seconds later. Then in the following match against Iowa, it took Molly Catchpole 72 seconds to nullify van Aalsum’s second quarter equalizer and put UNC up 2-1.
The issue for the Tar Heels is finishing these contests. They played sloppy defense against the Wolverines down the stretch and received a green card that nearly allowed U-M to beat them in regulation. In the Iowa matchup, the aforementioned 2-1 lead was blown within the first five minutes of the second half and they couldn’t convert of any of their six second half shots on goal.
Something’s going to need to change for North Carolina. It folded under pressure and saw its season come to an end in an overtime loss to NU just 20 minutes up the road at the 2025 Final Four, and its started its 2026 doing the same.
Not time to panic yet, but it is a bit worrisome.
Other Notable Movements
No. 11 UMass — Amherst (+4)
No. 12 Syracuse (-3)
No. 14 Liberty (-6)
No. 16 Miami (OH) (-6)
No. 18 Old Dominion (Unranked)
