INDIANAPOLIS – Maryville University was voted as the preseason coaches’ poll favorite to win the 2025 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) women’s soccer crown, the league office announced on Tuesday.
The preseason poll is selected by the league’s head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.
No. 1 Maryville
- Received seven first-place votes and 188 total points.
- The Saints finished with a 16-1-3 overall and 13-0-1 Conference record last season, securing their third GLVC regular season championship and earning the No.1 seed in the conference tournament.
- Maryville obtained its third NCAA Tournament win in program history, besting McKendree in the first round.
- 2024 GLVC Coach of the Year Lori Lawson enters her eighth season at the program's helm, holding a 73-32-22 career record.
- Maryville’s returners are led by GLVC Co-Offensive Player of the Year and Second Team D2CCA All-Midwest forward Elsa Nilson-Hurtig, Second Team All-GLVC and Second Team D2CCA All-Midwest forward Ashlyne Hunt, and GLVC Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team All-GLVC goalkeeper Agnes Vilen.
- Nilson-Hurtig posted a double-double with 11 goals and 10 assists, totaling 32 points.
- Hunt cracked double digit goals with 11 and led the team in game-winning goals with six.
- Vilen kept 13 shutouts and led the GLVC in goals against (9), goal against average (.456), and save percentage (.842)
No. 2 Drury
- Received seven first-place votes and 186 total points.
- Notched a 16-3-4 overall mark and 11-1-2 Conference record earning the Panthers the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.
- Advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament, picking up wins over Northern Michigan and Ashland.
- Justin Olson returns to the sideline for his sixth season with Drury, carrying a 55-21-19 career mark.
- GLVC First Team forward Holland Hawkins returns as well as GLVC second team members midfielder Elena Perez and goalkeeper Katy Fitzler.
- Hawkins scored 11 goals in her debut campaign for the Panthers.
- Perez led the GLVC in assists (11)
- Fitzler led Division II in shutouts with 14.
No. 3 McKendree
- Received 162 total points.
- McKendree, posted a 16-5-1 overall record and a 10-3-1 mark in GLVC action last season.
- The Bearcats qualified for their eighth-straight NCAA Tournament, falling in the first round to Maryville.
- Tim Strange heads into his 27th year as McKendree’s head coach, recording a 154-57-30 clip since the Bearcats joined the GLVC in 2013.
- McKendree returns the GLVC Freshman of the Year forward Maddie Mauch, along with All-GLVC Third Team Midfielder Maggie Gleckler.
- Mauch found the back of the net seven times and assisted once for 15 points to earn her the 2024 GLVC Freshman of the Year. In GLVC play, the forward scored six times.
- Gleckler scored four goals and added five assists to improve on her 2023 GLVC Freshman of the Year campaign.
No. 4 Rockhurst
- Received one first-place vote and 155 total points.
- The Hawks registered a 12-6-1 overall record while going 10-3-1 in GLVC play.
- Greg Herdlick enters his 27th season with Rockhurst, carrying a 270-162-50 career mark into the season.
- Return GLVC Co-Offensive Player of the Year and Second Team D2CCA All-Midwest forward Anna Lantz and All-GLVC Third Team midfielder Lizzo Rosenthal.
- Lantz finished the season with 13 goals and six assists, for 32 points. Added five game-winning goals.
- Rosenthal scored four goals and added three assists for 11 points.
Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through 15th was Missouri-St. Louis (148), Indianapolis (120), Illinois Springfield (118), Truman State (95), Missouri S&T (90), Quincy (89), Lewis (77), Upper Iowa (52), William Jewell (37), Southwest Baptist (33), and Lincoln (25).
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
2025 GLVC WOMEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
| Place |
School |
Points (1st-Place Votes) |
| 1 |
Maryville |
188 (7) |
| 2 |
Drury |
186 (7) |
| 3 |
McKendree |
162 |
| 4 |
Rockhurst |
155 (1) |
| 5 |
Missouri-St. Louis |
148 |
| 6 |
Indianapolis |
120 |
| 7 |
Illinois Springfield |
118 |
| 8 |
Truman State |
95 |
| 9 |
Missouri S&T |
90 |
10
11 |
Quincy
Lewis |
89
77 |
| 12 |
Upper Iowa |
52 |
| 13 |
William Jewell |
37 |
| 14 |
Southwest Baptist |
33 |
| 15 |
Lincoln |
25 |