BABSON PARK, Mass.—The five-time defending New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) champion Babson College field hockey team was picked to defend its title again in 2026 when the conference released its annual preseason coaches' poll on Thursday.
Babson received nine of the 10 first-place votes for 81 points to finish atop the poll. MIT finished second in the voting with 67 points, narrowly ahead of defending conference runner-up WPI (65), which received the remaining first-place vote. Springfield (47) and Smith (45) rounded out the top five in the poll. The Beavers are seeking their 11th consecutive NEWMAC regular season crown and sixth straight tournament title.
Led by 20th-year head coach
Julie Ryan, the Beavers return eight starters and 18 veterans, including two All-Region and three All-Conference selections, from last year's squad that finished 22-2 overall, 9-0 in NEWMAC play, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament semifinals for the second time in three years and third time since 2017.
The Beavers open the 2026 campaign at Endicott on Tuesday, September 1, with the first home game vs. fellow 2025 NCAA Final Four participant Christopher Newport on Saturday, September 5, on MacDowell Field. The NEWMAC opener comes in game seven versus cross-town rival Wellesley on September 19.
2026 NEWMAC Field Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
School (first-place votes) |
|
| 1 |
Babson (9) |
81 |
| 2 |
MIT |
67 |
| 3 |
WPI (1) |
65 |
| 4 |
Springfield |
54 |
| 5 |
Smith |
47 |
| 6 |
Wellesley |
45 |
| 7 |
Salve Regina |
40 |
| 8 |
Wheaton |
20 |
| 9 |
Clark |
17 |
| 10 |
Mount Holyoke |
14 |
