By OkayGoal
The NCAA Division I women’s soccer season is officially underway, which means we’re already getting what makes college soccer so fun: fantastic goals, unexpected upsets, breakout stars and, of course, a few results that make us do a double take.
With the NCAA Championship already looming on the horizon, teams across the country are looking to make their mark. Using data from PIRIo, GSN took a look at some of the predictions for the 2026 season and a few of them had us asking, “Wait… really?”
From a potential SEC superstar to a familiar contender that might not live up to expectations, here are four PIRIo predictions that caught our attention.
1. Olivia Stafford is the best player in the SEC in 2026
According to PIRIo, Vanderbilt sophomore Olivia Stafford is projected to be the best player in the SEC this season.
That prediction might sound bold, but Stafford certainly gave PIRIo plenty to work with during her freshman season. The forward/midfielder appeared in all 24 of Vanderbilt’s games in 2025 and led the team in assists while establishing herself as one of the Commodores’ biggest difference-makers. And PIRIo thinks she’s only getting started.
After Stafford was called into the U.S. U-19 Women’s National Team player pool over the summer, her résumé is already getting pretty impressive. But her PIRIo projection takes things to another level.
Stafford is the only player in the conference projected to reach a 400+ PIRIo rating. For some perspective, that is a tier typically reserved for players who put together truly spectacular seasons, think Lionel Messi-level territory.
So what makes Stafford’s projection so eye-catching? PIRIo’s rating system looks across a wide range of statistical data points rather than focusing on just goals and assists. Stafford stands out because she is incredibly well-rounded across the board.
According to Hudl’s Wyscout data, Stafford led her position group in 23% of the statistical categories PIRIo considers when calculating its ratings. That puts her in some pretty elite company.
In other words, PIRIo isn’t just saying Stafford had a great freshman season. It’s suggesting she could be on the verge of something much bigger.
2. Vanderbilt is built to repeat
If Stafford being projected as the SEC’s best player wasn’t enough, Vanderbilt might have another reason to feel good about its chances.
The Commodores are coming off a conference tournament championship, a second-place finish in the regular-season SEC standings and a run to the Elite Eight. Now, they’re entering 2026 with a roster that PIRIo believes is once again loaded with talent.
Six of the conference’s projected by PIRIo as top 27 players are Vanderbilt players:
- Olivia Stafford — No. 1
- Courtney Jones — No. 5
- Mary Beth McLaughlin — No. 13
- Reagan Pentz — No. 17
- Melania Fullerton — No. 25
- Margo Matula — No. 27
That’s a lot of Commodores.
Mississippi follows with five players in the top 27, while Alabama has four.
Vanderbilt did lose one of its top players from last season, but the return of so much talent gives the Commodores a strong foundation for another championship run. Last season, Vanderbilt finished just one point behind the regular-season conference champion, earned its first No. 1 seed and eventually reached the Elite Eight.
So, according to PIRIo, a repeat conference tournament title isn’t exactly a wild idea. Of course, this is the SEC. A couple of unexpected results, an injury, a tough schedule or one very chaotic weekend can turn everything upside down. But if you’re looking for a team with the pieces to make another deep run, Vanderbilt certainly checks a lot of boxes.
3. Devon Winters might be the SEC’s most underrated player
Goals get the headlines. Assists get the graphics. Game-winning moments get remembered. But someone has to do all the work in between. This is where Georgia’s Devon Winters shines.
The midfielder/defender enters her senior season after an impressive career at the collegiate level — and an even more impressive high school career. Winters captained Tophat Soccer Club to the No. 1 ranking in the country and was named MVP of the regional tournament.
Now, PIRIo has her ranked as the No. 12 overall player in the SEC heading into 2026.
So why does that feel underrated? Because Winters is the type of player who can make a huge impact without necessarily ending up in the box score every week. She’s one of the best passers in the conference, is an elite secondary creator from the backline and consistently puts opposing defenses under pressure with her actions on the ball.
In other words, she does a lot of the dirty work. Those contributions might not always produce the flashy moment that makes the highlight reel, but they can be the difference between a team controlling a match and chasing one. That’s exactly the kind of influence PIRIo is picking up on.
Put it all together, and you get a player who may not always be the first name mentioned when talking about SEC stars, but might be one of the most important players on the field. And if PIRIo is right, Georgia fans might want to make sure they’re paying attention.
4. Arkansas might not finish in the SEC’s top five
Now for the prediction that could get some people talking. According to PIRIo, Arkansas is not projected to finish in the SEC’s top five in 2026. And considering what the Razorbacks accomplished last season, that one might make you scratch your head.
Arkansas has two players ranked inside PIRIo’s top 27 SEC players — Mackenzie Malham at No. 14 and Vaukaba Tu’ua at No. 16 — but the team itself is projected more toward the middle of the conference pack.
After Vanderbilt, PIRIo sees a tightly bunched group featuring LSU, Mississippi State, Auburn, Alabama and Tennessee.
The projections suggest the difference between several of these teams could come down to just a point or two. That means the conference race could once again be decided by the little things: a late goal here, an upset there, an unexpected injury or even a little bit of good old-fashioned SEC chaos. That’s what makes this prediction especially interesting.
Arkansas proved last season that it can exceed expectations, and college soccer has a funny way of making predictions look silly. So while PIRIo doesn’t currently see the Razorbacks finishing in the top five, there’s one important caveat: This is SEC soccer and anything can happen.
Featured image via vucommodores.com
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