It was quite the girls soccer season for the South Bend Tribune coverage area in 2025, with Mishawaka Marian capturing the IHSAA 2A state championship, Bremen making its first IHSAA 1A state finals appearance in program history and three other programs winning sectional titles.
With that said, a lot has also changed around the area, most notably class and sectional realignment shifting postseason outlooks for many key teams. Let’s not waste any more time and predict the five best teams in the area before games start Aug. 15.
1. Penn
The Kingsmen are vying for their 20th – yes, twentieth – consecutive sectional championship in 2026, extending their state record. If Penn can do so, it’ll be the program’s 25th, which would be good for second in IHSAA history.
Head coach Jeff Hart certainly has the squad to do it, and perhaps he’ll have a group that could capture Penn’s second regional crown in three seasons. Key returners include junior Emily Sachire, senior Carmen Gentry, sophomore Alisa Noakes, senior Sienna Smith, junior Tori Schramski, senior Payton Craig and junior Addie Primrose. Each played in all 21 of Penn’s games last season and scored at least two goals.
Sachire was a Second-Team All-NIC selection last season, also leading the Kingsmen with seven assists. Joining her in those honors was fellow junior Gwen Rebolloso.
All four of Penn’s goalkeepers from last season are back as well, including senior Emily Hertel, who led the way with 14 games and 35 saves. Look out for sophomore Moria Nugent, though, who made 28 saves and allowed just three goals in eight appearances.
After winning the sectional title in a 1-0 thriller over South Bend Adams last season, it’s a new look sectional field in 2026. Penn is the favorite among a group including rival Mishawaka, Concord, NIC foe Elkhart, Goshen and another area stalwart, Northridge.
2. Mishawaka Marian
Speaking of realignment, the Knights are the team most affected locally. They move up to Class 3A, where they’ll share a sectional field with South Bend Adams, South Bend Riley, La Porte and Michigan City.
Marian should still be favored to win its sixth straight sectional despite the change, but it’s the regional round and beyond where things could get tough for head coach Henry Vu’s group to advance to semi-state for the fifth season in a row. The Knights’ leading scorer, First-Team All-NIC and ISCA Second-Team All-State selection Kendall Bradley returns for her senior season after scoring nine goals in the state tournament and 19 overall as a junior.
Also returning is ISCA Third-Team All-State and First-Team All-NIC member Milana Micola, two Second-Team All-NIC selections in junior Olivia Micola and sophomore Grace Hanyzewski, and senior Paytin Mason, senior Keely Lauver, junior Emma Murphy, junior Annie Duthie, junior Olivia Snell, junior Flannery Coman, sophomore Aubrey Bradley, and sophomore Claire Owens, all of whom played in at least 12 of the Knights’ 21 games last season.
ISCA All-State Honorable Mention and First Team All-NIC goalkeeper Dreama Root, who is a senior, has transferred to Penn, and also left soccer to focus on flag football. Stepping into the Knights’ goalie role is senior All-NIC Honorable Mention Frances Bradley.
3. South Bend Saint Joseph
Going from the area team to be impacted most by realignment to the team which may have benefitted the most, it’s time to talk about the Huskies. Despite finishing 2025 as the fourth-ranked team in 2A, Saint Joseph’s season ended in the first round of sectional play with a loss in penalty kicks to eventual state champion Marian.
The team that came closest to scoring in regulation? The Huskies; who are sure to have an added chip on their collective shoulder now that their path to the state finals is as clear as it has been since 2018 – the last time they appeared.
Their new sectional includes John Glenn, Jimtown, New Prairie, NorthWood, Plymouth and South Bend Washington, with Glenn and Jimtown being the only two to finish last season with a winning record. As a heavy sectional and likely regional favorite, head coach Phil DePauw’s squad is headlined by senior First-Team All-NIC selection Emily Keegan.
Also returning is Second-Team All-NIC senior Addy DePauw, All-NIC Honorable Mention senior Maddy Johnson, senior Lydia Goodsell, senior Ashley Mereness, junior Lauren Hickey, junior Sophia Kintz, junior Lily Gerard, junior Leighton Stanley and junior Sofia Nanni, all of whom played in at least 11 of the Huskies’ 16 games last year.
Saint Joseph will have a void to fill at goalkeeper with the loss of 97-save senior Alex Choinacky, but DePauw has a track record of developing talent. All things considered, the Huskies could easily have the No. 1 spot on this list come October.
4. Northridge
The last of the area’s sectional champions from 2025, the Raiders won their second 3A crown in three seasons then fell in a first-round regional game to Penn in overtime. This year, the two are in the same sectional, which will end one of the area’s top teams’ season earlier than the talent suggests.
Head coach Chris Malott returns ISCA All-State Honorable Mention and All-NLC senior Brylee Yoder, alongside leading scorer and fellow All-NLC senior Adelynn Miller. Also back for Northridge is All-NLC junior Anna Garber, senior All-NLC senior Halle Moeller, senior Taylor Heflin, senior Indy Gress, senior Shali Miller, senior Lynzee Munoz, junior Edelyn Munoz and junior Maya Nelson, all of whom played at least 12 of the Raiders’ 20 games last season.
Similar to Saint Joseph, Northridge’s biggest adjustment may be at goalkeeper, as ISCA All-State Honorable Mention and All-NLC selection Lily Vasil graduated. Garber got two tries at goalie last season, so she could be poised to fill that role for a Raider squad that went 7-0 in conference play last season and seems favored to win the league once again.
5. South Bend Adams
While the heart of the 2025 Eagles – First-Team All-NIC and ISCA All-State Honorable Mention Jocelyn Jones – has graduated, head coach Ryan Yazel brings back his two top scorers from last season in First-Team All-NIC sophomore Arianna Jones and Second-Team All-NIC junior Navia Smith, who combined for 25 goals.
Also returning to Adams are senior Briley Kush, senior Amya Henry and junior Julia Kinney, who combined for 16 goals last season. Junior goalkeeper Zoe Reeves, senior Iggy Mason, senior Paytin Armstrong and sophomore Hannah Romine – all of whom played in at least 12 of the Eagles’ 17 games – are also back.
However, Adams still can’t catch a break in its sectional field. Despite pushing Penn to the limit in a 1-0 sectional championship loss to end last season, the Eagles won’t have to play the Kingsmen come tournament time. Instead, Marian now stands in the way of Adams’ first sectional crown since 2004.
Kyle Smedley is a sports reporter at the South Bend Tribune. Contact him via email at ksmedley@usatodayco.com or follow him on X @KyleMSmedley.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend Tribune preseason girls soccer top 5 led by usual powerhouses
Reporting by Kyle Smedley, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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By Kyle Smedley, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
