Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Delaware (Exhibition)
Marshall Women’s Soccer Opens Preseason Play Sunday
8/5/2026 1:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Women's Soccer is in its second week of full practice, as the team prepares for its regular season opener Thursday, Aug. 13 at home against Morehead State. Before the official kickoff of the third season for the Herd under head coach Rafa Simoes, MU will host Delaware in an exhibition Sunday evening at 7 p.m. at Hoops Family Field.
Admission to Sunday's exhibition is free, but fans will have to claim a free ticket. For more information, view HERE.
Tickets for the 2026 season are available, and can be viewed HERE.
Coach Simoes and the Herd had a resurgent 2025 season. In his second year as skipper for MU, Simoes led the team to win its most games in a decade with four All-Conference selections, also the program's most since 2015.
The Herd welcomes 15 newcomers to its roster in 2026. Marshall returns 13 players, including graduate senior Bailey Fisher, who enters the season tied for 3rd in program history with 19 career goals. The 2025 SBC All-Conference Second Team member is eligible for her fifth season of competition.
Marshall has been picked 6th in the SBC Preseason Poll. JMU has been picked as the league's favorite.
The full Sun Belt Conference Preseason Awards and Poll are listed below.
2026 Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year:
Ginny Lackey, James Madison
Preseason Midfielder of the Year:
Miku Kurihara, Louisiana
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:
Ashlynn Kulha, Old Dominion
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year:
Sierra Giorgio, South Alabama
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
F – Aaliyah Faddoul, Georgia State
F – Carson Glenn, Louisiana
F – Ginny Lackey, James Madison
M – Aleigha Arndt, James Madison
M – Carys Fraser, Georgia State
M – Miku Kurihara, Louisiana
D – Amelia Campanella, South Alabama
D – Libby Holmes, Old Dominion
D – Ashlynn Kulha, Old Dominion
D – Selma Rajakangas, James Madison
GK – Sierra Giorgio, South Alabama
2026 Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. James Madison (6) - 182
2. Old Dominion - 173
3. South Alabama (4) - 171
4. Georgia State - 141
5. ULM (3) - 137
6. Marshall (1) - 126
7. Louisiana - 125
8. App State - 99
9. Georgia Southern - 75
10. Southern Miss - 61
11. Coastal Carolina - 60
12. Arkansas State - 53
13. Louisiana Tech - 39
14. Troy - 28
(Parentheses indicate first-place votes)
To donate to the Championship Fund for Marshall Women's Soccer, please click HERE. All proceeds go directly to the Marshall Women's Soccer team.
For all the latest information about Marshall Women's Soccer, follow @herdwsoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
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