WINTHROP, Mass. – Great Northeast Athletic Conference softball head coaches have tabbed Simmons University and Albertus Magnus College as the divisional favorites in the 2026 GNAC Preseason Coaches' Polls, conducted last week by the league's 14 head coaches. The Sharks claimed the top spot in the North Division with 81 points and three first-place votes, while the Falcons led the South Division with 90 points and seven first-place votes.

North Division

Simmons University enters 2026 looking to return to the top after a tough pod finals loss to former GNAC member Johnson & Wales University, the eventual conference champion.

Rivier University was close behind with 79 points and four first-place votes as the Raiders look to rebound from an early pod-play exit. Emmanuel College also positioned itself as a North contender, earning 77 points and four first-place votes.

Saint Joseph's College of Maine rounded out the North's top four with 70 points and the final three first-place votes in the division. New England College (40), Norwich University (27), and Colby-Sawyer College (18) completed the 5–7 slots, with Colby-Sawyer set to compete in its inaugural season.

The Monks capped the 2025 season with a 17-24 overall record and a strong 10-6 mark in GNAC play under the watch of Head Coach Jamie Smyth '92, who is about to begin his 28th season at the helm at his alma mater. Seniors Chantelle Bouchard (Biddeford, Maine) and Sadie Tirrell (Naples, Maine) look to lead their team to a better finish than predicted by the preseason poll. Bouchard, a two-time All-Conference selection, hit.409 (52-127) with 28 runs, 13 doubles, six home runs, 35 RBI and a .654 slugging percentage. Tirrell, a two-time MCBSA All-State honoree, batted .377 (55-146) with 43 runs, 11 doubles, five triples, three home runs, 26 RBI, and five stolen bases.

Saint Joseph's opened 2025 GNAC Tournament play with a 4-3 win over New England College (April 29), before a 10-inning setback at Rivier University (5-4) and an 18-10 loss to Albertus Magnus College brought the run to a close.

South Division

Albertus Magnus College will aim to finish the job after a pod finals loss to University of Saint Joseph ended a remarkable season.

USJ was narrowly behind at 88 points, collecting the final seven first-place votes in the poll as the tournament runner-up looks to avenge last year's championship series defeat.

Lasell University landed third with 56 points, followed closely by Regis College (55). Mitchell College (54), Elms College (25), and Dean College (24) rounded out the South standings.

Season format and championship details

GNAC softball teams open the season with spring break trips beginning Sunday, March 1, before conference play starts Saturday, March 21. Teams will play doubleheaders against each opponent in their division, plus twinbills versus three teams from the opposite division, to determine the divisional standings.

The top four teams in each division will qualify for the 2026 GNAC Softball Championship Tournament. The postseason begins with two four-team, double-elimination pods from Wednesday, April 29 through Sunday, May 3. The two pod winners advance to a best-of-three GNAC Championship Series, scheduled for Friday-Saturday, May 8-9, with the champion earning the league's automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.