INDIANAPOLIS – McKendree was voted in the preseason coaches' poll as the choice to win the 2026 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) women’s wrestling championship, the league office announced on Thursday.
The preseason poll is determined by the league's head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.
No. 1 McKendree
- Received five first-place votes and 35 total points
- Placed third at the 2025 NCWWC Championships in 2025 while also claiming the regional title with eight individual regional champions
- Coached by Alexio Garcia, who enters his fourth year with a record of 33-10 while also earning Region Coach of the Year in 2025.
- Return 207 lb. national champion Tristan Kelly as well as three National Finalists in Gabriele Tedesco, Shelby Moore, and Haylie Jaffe
No. 2 Grand Valley State
- Received two first-place vote and 32 total points
- Finished fourth at the 2025 NCWWC Championships last season
- Coached by Jake Short, who enters his second season after a 3-2 overall record
- Return 110 lb. National Champion Sage Mortimor and 138 lb. National Champion Katerina Lange as well as 180 lb. National Runner-up Sabrina Nauss
No. 3 Quincy
- Received 23 total points
- Placed 27th at the NCWWC Championships in 2025
- Coached by Jeff Haley, who enters his fourth season having a 25-21 record
- Return 110 lb. All-American Trinity Pendergrass
No. 4 William Jewell
- Received 20 total points
- Finished 17th at the NCWWC Championships in 2025
- Coached by Desiree Ramos in her fourth season with an overall record of 14-16
- Return 117 lb. All-American Alex Waitsman
Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through seventh was Northern Michigan (19 points), Upper Iowa (12), and Davenport (6).
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
| Place |
School |
Points (1st-Place Votes) |
| 1. |
McKendree |
35 (5) |
| 2. |
Grand Valley State |
32 (2) |
| 3. |
Quincy |
23 |
| 4. |
William Jewell |
20 |
| 5. |
Northern Michigan |
19 |
| 6. |
Upper Iowa |
12 |
| 7. |
Davenport |
6 |