INDIANAPOLIS – For the third consecutive year, the Maryville University women's lacrosse team was picked to win the Great Lakes Valley Conference in the coaches' poll for the 2026 season, the league office announced. The Saints, who are the reigning GLVC regular-season and tournament champions, received seven first-place votes and a total of 49 poll points.
 
The Saints are coming off a school-record 19-win season, earned their third straight NCAA Tournament bid and reached the tourney quarterfinals. Returning for the Saints is GLVC Attacker of the Year Helen Bae as well as fellow All-Americans Haley Ritchie and Natalie Tomljenovic and six other All-GLVC selections.
 
Fourth-year head coach Melissa Gyllenborg and the Saints open the season at home Friday, Feb. 13, against No. 25 Alabama Huntsville at the Maryville Athletic Complex. The Saints begin the year ranked sixth in the 2026 preseason IWLCA polls.
 
The preseason poll is selected by the league's head coaches who, per GLVC bylaws, cannot vote for their own team. The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
 
2026 GLVC WOMEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL
Place               School                       Points (1st-Place Votes)
1.                     Maryville                     49 (7)
2.                     Indianapolis                43 (1)
3.                     Rockhurst                   37
4.                     Missouri Western       31
5.                     Lewis                          18
6.                     McKendree                 17
                        Quincy                        17
8.                     William Jewell             12