VESTAL, N.Y. - Reigning America East regular season champion Binghamton women's soccer has been slotted second in the conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference announced Thursday afternoon. It's the fourth straight year the Bearcats have been picked either first or second in the poll. 

The Bearcats earned 58 points and four first-place votes to come in just behind reigning tournament champion Maine, who led the poll with 60 points and four first-place votes. Vermont (53 pts.) received the other first-place vote and rounded out the top three, who were well ahead of the pack of nine teams. 

In addition to the poll, the coaches selected an 11-member preseason all-conference team and the Bearcats had nearly half the squad with five honorees. Earning preseason distinction were defender Sophia Garofalo, forwards Paige Luke and Jahkaya Davis, midfielder Anna Buckwalter and goalkeeper Rebecca Kessler. No other team had more than two members of the team - a nod to Binghamton's lineup strength. 

Eleventh-year head coach Neel Bhattacharjee returns nine starters and six all-conference selections from a 2025 team that went 10-2-5 and produced a third regular season crown in the last four years, thanks to a 13-game unbeaten streak. Binghamton has lost just three conference games in the last four seasons (20-3-9, 77%) - the highest win percentage in the league. 

The Bearcats begin their 2026 season at home against Lehigh on Aug. 13.