Photo by: Crissy Wright
DU Makes First Appearance in WCC Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll
8/5/2026 11:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Denver picked to finish seventh in first season as a member of West Coast Conference
DENVER – The University of Denver women's soccer team came in at No. 7 in the 2026 West Coast Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference announced on Wednesday.
DU earned 38 points in the poll, just one shy of the No. 6 spot.
The West Coast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll is determined by a vote of its member programs' head coaches, who cannot vote for their own program.
2026 WEST COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Pepperdine – 81 points (9 first-place votes)
T-2. Portland – 61 points
T-2. Santa Clara – 61 points
4. Saint Mary's – 60 points
5. Seattle – 54 points (1 first-place vote)
6. LMU – 39 points
7. DENVER – 38 points
8. San Diego – 28 points
9. Pacific – 15 points
10. San Francisco – 13 points
The 2026 season will be Denver's first as a member of the West Coast Conference after making the transition to its new conference home on July 1. DU had spent the last 13 years in the Summit League where the Pioneers won four league titles and nine regular-season titles. Since becoming an NCAA Division I program in 1999, Denver has won a combined 11 conference titles.
Head coach Julianne Sitch is in her fourth season with the Pioneers. In her first three seasons, she has posted a 29-13-13 record including 9-5-4 in 2025.
Helping lead Denver in 2026 are 16 returners from last year's squad including sixth-year student-athlete Samantha Dreiling and senior Nora Zeleazny, who will serve as team captains. Dreiling and Zelazny are two of five returning starters from DU's final match in 2025.
DU brings in a talented freshman squad of five who are expected to make an immediate impact on the roster: defender Keirra Venson, midfielders Reese Morgan and Jacqui Wilson, and forwards Maeve Morgan and Caitlin Staats.
Four transfers join Denver in 2026 in goalkeepers Sophia Elfrink (formerly SEMO) and Jaidin Kinch (formerly South Alabama), midfielder Camille Kollar (formerly Idaho State) and forward Camila Palacios (formerly Arkansas).
Denver will also welcome back senior and two-sport athlete Liv Moritz to the team in 2026, who redshirted last season while seeking an Olympic berth in alpine skiing for Team USA. In her first two seasons at DU, the 2023 United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Team honoree played in every match and started in all but one and ranked second on the roster for most goals in each.
The University of Denver women's soccer team is preparing for its final step of the preseason with two exhibition matches set, beginning with hosting Colorado Albion SC on Wednesday, August 5, at 5 p.m. MT. Admission is free for all fans.
DU will close its preseason with a friendly at Wyoming on Sunday, August 9, at 1 p.m. MT before beginning its regular-season campaign at Northern Colorado on Thursday, August 13, at 7 p.m. MT.
TICKETS
Tickets for the 2026 season are now on sale, starting at $69, and are available for purchase online or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office.
DU earned 38 points in the poll, just one shy of the No. 6 spot.
The West Coast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll is determined by a vote of its member programs' head coaches, who cannot vote for their own program.
2026 WEST COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Pepperdine – 81 points (9 first-place votes)
T-2. Portland – 61 points
T-2. Santa Clara – 61 points
4. Saint Mary's – 60 points
5. Seattle – 54 points (1 first-place vote)
6. LMU – 39 points
7. DENVER – 38 points
8. San Diego – 28 points
9. Pacific – 15 points
10. San Francisco – 13 points
The 2026 season will be Denver's first as a member of the West Coast Conference after making the transition to its new conference home on July 1. DU had spent the last 13 years in the Summit League where the Pioneers won four league titles and nine regular-season titles. Since becoming an NCAA Division I program in 1999, Denver has won a combined 11 conference titles.
Head coach Julianne Sitch is in her fourth season with the Pioneers. In her first three seasons, she has posted a 29-13-13 record including 9-5-4 in 2025.
Helping lead Denver in 2026 are 16 returners from last year's squad including sixth-year student-athlete Samantha Dreiling and senior Nora Zeleazny, who will serve as team captains. Dreiling and Zelazny are two of five returning starters from DU's final match in 2025.
DU brings in a talented freshman squad of five who are expected to make an immediate impact on the roster: defender Keirra Venson, midfielders Reese Morgan and Jacqui Wilson, and forwards Maeve Morgan and Caitlin Staats.
Four transfers join Denver in 2026 in goalkeepers Sophia Elfrink (formerly SEMO) and Jaidin Kinch (formerly South Alabama), midfielder Camille Kollar (formerly Idaho State) and forward Camila Palacios (formerly Arkansas).
Denver will also welcome back senior and two-sport athlete Liv Moritz to the team in 2026, who redshirted last season while seeking an Olympic berth in alpine skiing for Team USA. In her first two seasons at DU, the 2023 United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Team honoree played in every match and started in all but one and ranked second on the roster for most goals in each.
The University of Denver women's soccer team is preparing for its final step of the preseason with two exhibition matches set, beginning with hosting Colorado Albion SC on Wednesday, August 5, at 5 p.m. MT. Admission is free for all fans.
DU will close its preseason with a friendly at Wyoming on Sunday, August 9, at 1 p.m. MT before beginning its regular-season campaign at Northern Colorado on Thursday, August 13, at 7 p.m. MT.
TICKETS
Tickets for the 2026 season are now on sale, starting at $69, and are available for purchase online or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office.
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