Villanova women's soccer kicks off its 2026 season Thursday, Aug. 13, at Syracuse with nine returning starters and the program's best preseason poll position in 13 years.

The BIG EAST coaches picked the Wildcats fifth with 66 points, according to the conference preseason poll. That's the highest the program has been slotted since 2013, when it was picked third. Georgetown topped the poll with 98 points and eight first-place votes, followed by UConn, Xavier and Creighton.

Head coach Samar Azem's squad returns 23 players from a 2025 team that went 9-8-1 overall and 4-5-1 in conference play, the program's best winning percentage and best league finish in six seasons, according to Villanova Athletics.

Fifth-year goalkeeper Hannah Dickinson headlines the returnees. She was named Preseason BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year and earned a spot on the 13-player Preseason All-BIG EAST Team alongside sophomore forward Avrie Nelsen and senior midfielder Gabby Koluch. Senior Meredith Palmer, a returning All-BIG EAST selection from 2025, adds further depth to the back line of experienced talent.

Eight of the team's 10 point-scorers from 2025 are back, accounting for 47 of Villanova's 56 points last season on 16 goals and 15 assists.

The Wildcats haven't opened on the road since a 2-0 loss at Boston College to start the 2022 season. Their all-time record in season-opening road games sits at 6-9-2, with the last such win coming at Temple on Aug. 20, 2010. They've dropped four straight openers away from home since.

Kickoff at Syracuse is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13. The Wildcats travel to Lehigh on Sunday, Aug. 16, for a 3 p.m. start before returning to Higgins Field for the home opener against Columbia on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 6 p.m.