Christopher Newport is the narrow favorite in the 2025 Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, following a vote among the conference head coaches. The Captains received 35 points and five first-place votes to lead the rankings. 

UC Santa Cruz, the defending champions, ranked a close second with 32 points and two top votes.  Mary Washington earned 26 points to rank third, while Salisbury finished fourth with 21 points.

C2C newcomer JWU Charlotte tallied 15 points in fifth place, while first-year member Regent (12) and Warren Wilson (6) completed the poll.

The 2025 season kicks off August 29 with the C2C Women's Soccer Championship, a 6-team tournament, being hosted by Salisbury in Salisbury, Maryland, on November 6-7-9.

Below is a brief preview of each team entering the 2025 season:

Christopher Newport: After reaching the NCAA Division III National Semifinals in 2024, the Captains open the year ranked No. 3 in the 2025 preseason poll. CNU will look to replace a talented senior class that closed their careers with an overall four-year record of 79-2-9. The returning group features the C2C Offensive Player of the Year Hanna Heaton, a first team All-American. Heaton posted a stellar junior campaign and finished the year among the national leaders with 45 points on 14 goals and a CNU record 17 assists. Also among the returners are midfielder Kyleigh Gough, a first team All-State selection, and All-Region goalkeeper Amy Sidaway. A host of veteran contributors are eager to get back to the field as CNU looks to extend an impressive streak of NCAA Tournament appearances to nine.

UC Santa Cruz: The Banana Slugs claimed their first ever C2C Championship title last season with a 2-0 victory over CNU, bringing its NCAA record 84-game unbeaten streak to an end.  UCSC finished the season with a 10-2-6 overall record after dropping a 5-4 PK decision to Pomona-Pitzer in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Banana Slugs return the 2024 C2C Rookie of the Year Ainsley Gove along with first team All-C2C players Camille Anneet, Sydney Boyd, Kristi Truong, and second-teamer Tatiana Fernandez. Gove ended the regular season with a .883 save percentage, allowing seven goals for a .63 goals against average in 13 games played.  Anneet (six goals and five assists) and Boyd (five goals and eight assists) were catalysts for the Slugs offense.  On the defensive side, Truong was the anchor starting all 17 contests for a team that posted a .88 goals against average. In addition to the five returning All-Conference players, the Banana Slugs will welcome six new faces to the 2025 roster. 

Mary Washington: After posting a winning record last season, the Eagles are poised to build on last year's success, returning eight of its 11 starters from the C2C semifinal team. Natalie Anderson and Maci Landel, both 2024 All-Region honorees, return to lead UMW this fall, while C2C second teamer Naomi Knight is back. UMW added a pair of transfers in Stephanie Reyes Chirinos (Chowan) and Olivia Ewing (Louisiana Tech) as the latter started three games for the Bulldogs last fall. 

Salisbury: Salisbury enters the new season coming off a 5-6-7 mark in 2024. Among the Sea Gulls' key returners for 2025 are three-time All-C2C forward Ashley Pantano, defender and team minutes leader Rebecca Fairbanks, and primary goalkeeper Hayle Foreman.

JWU Charlotte: The Wildcats return 17 players from a 2024 team that qualified for postseason play for the first time since 2021, including six of their top seven goal scorers. Junior Azalianna Absalom netted eight goals last season, earning second team USCAA All-American honors. Senior center back Aubree Warren also garnered second team USCAA All-American accolades and is the leader of a defense that allowed 1.00 goals per game and posted seven clean sheets.  JWU also has five newcomers that will make an immediate impact on the team.

Regent: After losing only two players to graduation, second year head coach Briley Fillenwarth returns an experienced group, along with eight new faces, as Regent begins their first year as members of the C2C.  In net, the Royals will once again rely on junior Kristen Miller (Peoria, Ariz.), who currently holds the program's single game save record.  Last season, Miller was an NCCAA All-South second team selection and ranked fifth nationally in the NCCAA in saves/game.  In addition, fellow junior Rhyan Primmer (Stafford, Va.) returns to anchor the defense.  In 2024, she was named to the NCCAA All-South Region first team and was a crucial part of the team's defensive strategy, Offensively, the team's leading scorer and NCCAA All-South Region second team selection senior Marissa Crowley (Charlotte, NC), returns to lead the Royals' attack. 

Warren Wilson: The Owls enter the 2025 season with strong leadership from its senior class, including defender Sabine Costello-Sanders and goalkeeper Callie Aerni, along with Alex Valenzuela, Eden Gfeller, and Abby Kopp. Head Coach Maxi Viera, who now leads both the WWC men's and women's programs, will look to this experienced group to anchor the team. A large freshman class adds depth and energy across the field, giving the Owls a balanced roster as they continue to build for the future.