INDIANAPOLIS- The Ashland Eagles were voted by the league’s coaches to repeat as the 2025 conference champions. The Eagles garnered 11 first place votes for a total of 130 points.
 
Last season, Ashland went 17-2-2 overall with a 12-0-2 conference mark. 2024 Offensive Player of the Year Dani Hicks returns for Coach Paulino after a historic junior season. Hicks enters the 2025 season ranked in the top 10 in program history in points (84), assists (20), and goals (32). She earned United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-Region honors, Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) all-American honors, and was the D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year. Hicks is joined by junior defender Adi Turnbaugh as the top returners heading into this season. Turnbaugh was voted first-team all-conference after starting in all 21 games last season. She led an Ashland defense that allowed just seven goals on the season.
 
Slotted in second are the Timberwolves from Northwood University. Ella Boyd, who was voted the 2025 Freshman of the Year, will return for Northwood. Boyd made 21 appearances with 15 starts during her rookie season. She scored eight goals on the year and had two assists for a total of 18 points. Boyd is also joined by forward Carly Boyd, who earned second team honors last year. The Oxford, Michigan native added a program-best 11 assists on the year for a team-high 29 points. Boyd’s 11 assists was the conference-high in 2024.
 
Rounding out the top three is Findlay under second-year head coach Sierra Tom. Payton Miller and Sydney Noble will return for the Oilers after getting first-team nods last season. Miller started in all 18 games, recording four goals and two assists. Noble ranked third in the league with 11 goals. She added two assists and helped the Oilers 10-5-3 record last season.
 
Rounding out the top five is Cedarville and Walsh, respectively. The Yellow Jackets will look to replace Goalkeeper of the Year Brooke Ackley,but return all-conference defender Sophie Browndyke. Cedarville tallied 110 points, including one first-place vote in the preseason poll. The Cavaliers earned 88 points in the coaches poll after a 10-7-1 2024 season.
 
Ohio Dominican was predicted to finish sixth followed by Malone and Thomas more in seventh and eighth.
 
Kentucky Wesleyan, Ursuline, Lake Erie, and Tiffin round out the coaches poll, respectively.
 
Great Midwest Women’s Soccer is set to begin September 4^th with 10 non-conference matches taking place.