DETROIT -- In its inaugural season, the Wayne State University women's soccer team was picked to finish seventh out of 10 schools in the 2026 GLIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced Tuesday by the league office. 

The top five schools in the poll consisted of Grand Valley State (81 points, nine first-place votes), Saginaw Valley State (71 points, one first-place vote), Ferris State (60 points), Parkside (57 points) and Northern Michigan (48 points).  The entire poll is listed below: 

1. Grand Valley State 81 (9)
2. Saginaw Valley State 71 (1) 
3. Ferris State (60) 
4. Parkside (57) 
5. Northern Michigan (48) 
6. Davenport (39) 
7. Wayne State (37) 
8. Purdue Northwest (27) 
9. Roosevelt (17) 
10. Michigan Tech (13)

SEASON PREVIEW - COACHING STAFF
Doug Steinard enters the 2026 campaign as the first varsity women's soccer head coach in Wayne State University Athletics history.  Steinard brings extensive coaching experience to the Warriors after spending 10 seasons as an assistant coach at Lawrence Technological University and seven years with Michigan Jaguars FC as the Girls Technical Director and Club Coach.  During his time with the Jaguars, Steinard helped guide two teams to NAL National Championships in 2025 and was part of five consecutive league championship teams. 

Joining Steinard on the inaugural coaching staff are assistant coaches Avery Fenchel and Hasan Daoud, along with post-graduate intern coach Emily O'Malley, goalkeeper coach Mathew Walczowski and volunteer assistant coach Mahmoud Faraj.

Fenchel was previously an assistant coach at Youngstown State where she helped the Penguins to a 6-2-2 finish in Horizon League play.  During her collegiate career at Ball State (2020-2024), she earned multiple MAC honors, including two All-Mid-American Conference selections, and became BSU's all-time leading goal scorer with 30 career goals. 

In addition to his role as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Wayne State, Has Daoud serves as the Michigan Jaguars Pro head coach for the Women's squad.  In 2023, he and Steinard helped lead the Jaguars to a national championship.  Daoud is currently playing for Detroit United while also attending Wayne State. 

O'Malley adds Division I playing experience from Butler University where she played 4,700 minutes as a midfielder for the Bulldogs.  She finished her playing career with 74 matches played, one goal and eight assists. 

Walczowski brings four years of goalkeeping coaching experience to Wayne State after spending the last four years as the Director of Youth Goalkeeping for Detroit City FC as well as the Goalkeeper Coach for the Detroit City FC Academy.  Additionally, he has also spent the past two years as an assistant coach and Goalkeeper Coach for Detroit City FC II. 

ROSTER 
Wayne State's inaugural roster features 33 student-athletes, including 17 freshmen and 16 transfers.  Of the 33 players, 31 are from the state of Michigan, while the transfer class brings collegiate experience from NCAA Division I and Division II programs, as well as other levels of collegiate soccer. 

The Warrior's transfer class includes seven players with previous NCAA Division I experience.  That group includes goalkeeper Kate Helfen (Cincinnati), defender Adriana Adriana Arrasate Pedroarena (Georgia State), midfielders Kate Carrico (Western Michigan) and Mairin Wessner (Dayton), as well as defenders Gabby Ruffino (Oakland), Sydney Osgood (Detroit Mercy) and Addison Aryis (Detroit Mercy). 

WSU also added players with experience at successful NCAA Division II programs.  Defender Reagan Brengman joins Wayne State from Northwood after helping the Timberwolves to an 11-3-6 record and earning a spot on the G-MAC All-Tournament Team in 2025.  Midfielder Emily Mendrick  joins the squad from Ashland, where she was apart of a G-MAC regular-season and tournament title run.  In addition, goalkeeper Alice Max arrives from Grand Valley State, where she was a member of the Lakers women's basketball program before transferring to WSU this past January.  

Wayne State will face Northwood and Detroit Mercy during its 2026 campaign, giving several Warriors an opportunity to compete against their former teams. The full roster can be seen below: 

Goalkeepers - 3 
Alice Max - R-Fr. (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester [Grand Valley State]) 
Kate Helfen - R-So. (Troy, Mich. / Troy [Cincinnati]) 
Sydney Goldman - Fr. (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Forest Hills Northern)

Defenders - 14 
Trinity Meinhart - Gr. (Akron, N.Y. / Grand Island [Niagara]) 
Adriana Arrasate Pedroarena - R-Fr. (Villava, Navarra, Spain / Askatasua BHI [Georgia State]) 
Maya Bjedov - Fr. (Brighton, Mich. / Brighton) 
Morgan Wilcox - Fr. (Imlay City, Mich. / Lapeer) 
Teagan Sharpe - Fr. (Commerce, Mich. / Walled Lake Central) 
Taryn Kelly - Jr. (Allendale, Mich. / Hudsonville [Concord]) 
Gabby Ruffino - R-So. (Shelby Township, Mich. / Romeo [Oakland]) 
Reagan Brengman - R-Sr. (Harrison Township, Mich. / Warren Regina [Northwood]) 
Samantha Powers - Fr. (Grand Ledge, Mich. / Grand Ledge) 
Sydney Osgood - R-Jr. (Plymouth, Mich. / Plymouth [Detroit Mercy]) 
Addison Ayris - R-So. (Washington, Mich. / Romeo [Detroit Mercy]) 
Dalia Jaghbir - Fr. (Dearborn, Mich. / Dearborn)
Camryn Budzik - Fr. (Oxford, Mich. / Oxford) 
Julie Sandoval - Fr. (Washington, Township, Mich. / Romeo) * also plays Midfield 

Midfielders - 7
Jenna Moeller - So. (Center Line, Mich. / Warren Regina [Sienna Heights]) 
Morgan Koskinen - Fr. (Waterford, Mich. / Waterford Mott) 
Kate Carrico - R-Fr. (Brighton, Mich. / Brighton [Western Michigan]) 
Molly Labate - Fr. (Clarkston, Mich. / Clarkston )
Molly Siler - Jr. (Mt. Pleasant, Mich. / Sacred Heart Academy [Delta CC]) 
Emily Mendrick - So. (Troy, Mich. / Troy [Ashland]) 
Emma Angus - Fr. (Linden, Mich. / Linden) 

Forwards - 9 
Sabrina Gaul - Fr. (Troy, Mich. / Troy) 
Olivia Jasniewicz - Fr. (Troy, Mich. / Troy) 
Sienna Mroue - Fr. (Dearborn, Mich. / Dearborn) 
Jess Clyde - Jr. (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron [Schoolcraft CC]) 
Mallory Botten - So (Gosse Ile, Mich. / Gross Ile [Michigan-Dearborn]) 
Ellie Whalen - Fr. (Commerce Township, Mich. / Pontiac Notre Dame Prep) 
Mairin Wessner - Gr. (Northville, Mich. / Northville [Dayton]) 
Lola Battaglia - Fr. (Almont, Mich. / Almont) 
Lauren Fowler - Fr. (Plymouth, Mich. / Salem)