NEW ORLEANS - The 2026 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Poll and Preseason All-Conference Team were announced by the league office on Wednesday afternoon. Old Dominion was picked to finish second in the league as voted on by the Sun Belt Conference head coaches.
Senior defenders Ashlynn Kulha and Libby Holmes were both named to the Sun Belt Preseason Team. Kulha was the first-ever Sun Belt women’s soccer player to earn back-to-back Sun Belt Defender of the Year awards this past season. She has now been awarded Sun Belt Preseason Defender of the Year in back-to-back seasons.
Recently, both defenders were also named to the United Soccer Coaches Defenders to Watch list for the upcoming 2025 season.
Kulha, a native from Holly Springs, North Carolina was key in securing six shutouts for the Monarchs last season. The six clean sheets ranked third in the conference and she was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week on August 26. Kulha helped hold Power Four opponent Maryland to one shot in the entire game and scored a diving header in a 2-0 victory.
In all games played last season, ODU ranked second in the Sun Belt in total goals allowed (17) and goals against average (.94). ODU’s ranking stayed the same in conference games and the Monarchs were tied for second in goals allowed (9) and goals against average (.90). ODU had a +20-goal differential over 18 games played and in conference contests ODU has a +13-goal differential.
Holmes joined Old Dominion this summer after spending last year at ULM. She was a part of a team that won the Sun Belt regular season championship with new Monarchs head coach Will Roberts. The English native was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region team and secured All-Sun Belt First Team honors. She played in 19 matches last season and finished second on the Warhawks with five goals and recorded four assists for 14 points. She notched a career-high five points against Troy (10/19/2025) after scoring two goals and providing one assist.
Holmes ranked tied for 10th in the Sun Belt for goals in conference matchups (3) and averaged 0.30 goals per game as a defender last year. Her five points in a single matchup ranks tied for the third highest among Sun Belt participants last season and her two goals against Troy also tied for the second highest individual performance.
2026 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Soccer Preseason Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year:
Ginny Lackey, James Madison
Preseason Midfielder of the Year:
Miku Kurihara, Louisiana
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:
Ashlynn Kulha, Old Dominion*
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year:
Sierra Giorgio, South Alabama
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
F – Aaliyah Faddoul, Georgia State
F – Carson Glenn, Louisiana
F – Ginny Lackey, James Madison
M – Aleigha Arndt, James Madison
M – Carys Fraser, Georgia State
M – Miku Kurihara, Louisiana
D – Amelia Campanella, South Alabama
D – Libby Holmes, Old Dominion*
D – Ashlynn Kulha, Old Dominion*
D – Selma Rajakangas, James Madison
GK – Sierra Giorgio, South Alabama
2026 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll
1. James Madison (6) - 182
- Old Dominion - 173
- South Alabama (4) - 171
- Georgia State - 141
- ULM (3) - 137
- Marshall (1) - 126
- Louisiana - 125
- App State - 99
- Georgia Southern - 75
- Southern Miss - 61
- Coastal Carolina - 60
- Arkansas State - 53
- Louisiana Tech - 39
- Troy - 28