SoCon Announces Preseason Coaches' Poll and Preseason All-Conference Team
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Senior midfielder
Rina Ogimoto of the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's soccer team was voted to The 2026 Southern Conference (SoCon) Preseason All-Conference Team, as voted on by the league's 11 coaches and announced by the conference on Monday.
Ogimoto concluded the 2025 regular season by being voted to the SoCon All-Conference Second Team.
The Oita, Japan, native paced the team with 14 points and six goals last season. She chipped in two assists as well. Her 14 points put her 11th in the conference, while her three penalty goals made led the SoCon. Ogimoto transferred to UNCG last season following time at Pacific and Arizona Western. With the Spartans, Ogimoto played in all 19 games for a total of 1465 minutes.
The Spartans were voted to finish seventh in the 2026 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll, earning 43 points. Samford was voted to finish first, earning 10 first-place votes, while Furman and ETSU followed tying second, as the Paladins secured the final first-place vote.
UNCG concluded the 2025 season 4-12-3 overall and 2-4-3 in league play. The Blue & Gold tallied five shutouts and scored 22 goals, which is the most since the 2022 season. UNCG defeated VMI, 3-0, in the first round of the 2025 SoCon Tournament but fell to second-seeded Western Carolina, 4-3 (OT), in the SoCon Quarterfinal round to conclude the season.
The Spartans are set to begin the 2026 regular season by traveling across the Triad to face High Point on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 7:00 p.m. at Vert Stadium. UNCG will host in-state foe, East Carolina on Sunday, Aug. 16 at 6:00 p.m. at UNCG Soccer Stadium in its home opener. All regular season home games are free admission.
2026 Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
| 1. Samford (10) |
100 |
| 2. Furman (1) |
80 |
| 2. ETSU |
80 |
| 4. Western Carolina |
68 |
| 5. Chattanooga |
67 |
| 6. Mercer |
66 |
| 7. UNCG |
43 |
| 8. Tennesee Tech |
40 |
| 9. Wofford |
32 |
| 10. The Citadel |
19 |
| 11. VMI |
10 |
() denotes first-place votes
2026 Women's Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team
F Reagan Fitzgerald, ETS
F Norah Roller, Furman
F Sam De Luca, Samford
F Quinn Johnson, Chattanooga
MF Georgia Shields, ETSU
MF Payton Nutzman, Mercer
MF Rina Ogimoto, UNCG
D Ella Parker, ETSU
D Anna Bachman, Mercer
D Caroline Smith, Samford
D Mary Mueth, Western Carolina
GK Peyton Hull, Samford
