WINTHROP, Mass. – Emmanuel enters the 2025 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women's Soccer season as the clear favorite, collecting all 14 first-place votes and 196 points in the annual preseason poll. The Saints captured last year's conference title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007.

Rivier (172) and Lasell (163) round out the top three, while Regis (139) and Albertus Magnus (124) complete the top five in what promises to be a competitive chase for postseason positioning.

Colby-Sawyer (120), Norwich (114), University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) (111), and Elms (89) were slotted into the 6–9 range, while Saint Joseph's College of Maine earned 71 points to place 10th. Simmons (64), Dean (49), New England College (39), and Mitchell (19) round out the remainder of the poll.

Under the direction of 13th-year Head Coach Jenelle Harris, the Monks look to bounce back after finishing 5-12-1 overall and 5-9-1 in conference play last fall. Saint Joseph's gained momentum with a late-season surge that nearly carried the squad into postseason contention, but the Royal Blue ultimately finished just outside the playoff picture in 11th place. It marked the first time in Harris's tenure that the Monks missed the GNAC Tournament.

The 2025 GNAC campaign begins Friday, August 29 with non-conference play before league action gets underway on Saturday, September 6. The top eight teams will advance to the conference tournament, which is scheduled for November 1 (quarterfinals), November 5 (semifinals), and November 8 (championship). The GNAC Champion will receive the league's automatic bid to the 2025 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament.