Classes have begun, and the fall sports season is already underway. Here’s a look at the Ivy League preseason polls that have already been released. The preseason polls are voted on by members of the media.
Football
After a third-place finish in the Ivy League last season, Penn football has been picked to finish fourth in this year’s preseason poll.
Last season, the Quakers outperformed preseason expectations. Picked to finish sixth, a strong senior class led by All-American and Walter Payton Award finalist Jared Richardson went 4-3 in conference matchups to edge out Dartmouth for third place in the league.
A lot has changed since last season, with seniors with important roles on the team graduating and an entire new coaching staff at the helm of the Red and Blue. Only time will tell whether there will be a transition phase for coach Rick Santos or if he can make an immediate impact in his first season with the team. The football season kicks off on Sept. 19 with a road game at Bucknell.
The teams picked to finish ahead of the Quakers are Yale in first place, Harvard in second, and Dartmouth in third.
Women’s soccer
Penn women’s soccer is the sole fall team to already start its season, playing out-of-conference matches at George Mason and against FDU in the past week. Penn was picked sixth in this year’s preseason poll, ahead of Cornell and Yale, for the same poll result as last year.
A sixth-place finish this year would be an improvement from last season, when the Red and Blue finished seventh with a 1-3-3 conference record. The Quakers are looking to make it back to the Ivy League tournament, which is held among the four best teams in conference play.
Last year’s regular-season champion Princeton was picked first in this year’s poll despite being upset by Dartmouth in the Ivy League tournament.
Men’s soccer
Penn men’s soccer was picked third in this year’s preseason poll, the same finish as its regular-season result last year. The Quakers fell short of expectations one year ago, finishing third and losing in the semifinals of the Ivy League tournament after a preseason first-place rank.
This year, the poll put them in third behind last year’s tournament champion and runner-up, Princeton and Cornell, respectively. The Quakers did not receive any first-place votes from the media but are still expected to make it to the Ivy League tournament, where they would have a shot at winning the conference championship to regain an NCAA tournament berth. Penn has been to the NCAA tournament twice in the last four seasons.
The Red and Blue open their 2026 season next Tuesday, Sept. 1, against Monmouth at home.
Field hockey
Penn field hockey came in at sixth in this year’s preseason poll, mirroring both last year’s poll result and regular-season finish. Like last year, the Quakers are projected to finish ahead of Columbia and Dartmouth, but outside of the four qualifying berths for the Ivy League tournament.
The Red and Blue finished with an overall winning record last year, but went 2-5 in conference games, with wins against Columbia and Dartmouth. Last year’s regular-season champion Harvard is expected to finish first again despite falling to Princeton in the 2025 tournament, with the Tigers a close runner-up in the polls.
The Quakers have already played an exhibition game this season, with another to follow on the weekend. Their first competitive match awaits on Sept. 4 at North Carolina.
Volleyball
Penn volleyball was selected for fifth place in this year’s preseason poll, ahead of Harvard, Dartmouth, and Columbia. Penn is slightly under the four qualifying berths for the Ivy League tournament.
The Red and Blue concluded last season with a flat 12-12 record and a 6-8 conference record in the Ivy League, with wins against No. 2 Yale and No. 3 Cornell. Last season was also coach Tyler Hagstrom’s first year at the helm.
The Ivy League volleyball season is set to begin on Sept. 4. Penn volleyball will open its season the same day against Stony Brook in Annapolis, Md.
