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The 2026 College Women's Soccer Programs Losing the Most Seniors

If you're a club coach, parent, or athlete planning a 2026 or 2027 recruiting push, senior departures are your first breadcrumb trail. When experienced players graduate, scholarships, walk-on slots, and meaningful playing time open up. With 2025 rosters already finalized across 1,007 NCAA women's soccer programs inside Rosterhunter, we can spotlight where those seniors are set to leave the biggest gaps before the 2026 season kicks off.

Key takeaways

  • 741 teams (73.6%) are losing five or more seniors, creating immediate roster openings across Division I, II, and III
  • Power programs like Hofstra (53.8% senior share), Redlands (46.9%), and ULM (46.2%) are losing 12+ veterans, signaling high-major playing time opportunities
  • Division I programs average 6.63 seniors (23.7% share), Division II average 6.46 (21.6%), and Division III average 5.79 (20.8%)
  • Early outreach in August-September gives recruits a significant advantage before coaches' inboxes flood during peak recruiting season
  • Position-specific analysis via Rosterhunter's filters helps athletes identify where their skills match graduating senior roles

Quick Reference: Key Data Points

In this analysis

Why Senior Departures Matter

In college women's soccer recruiting, senior departures equal roster openings. Each senior class that walks on senior night represents a scholarship or walk-on slot opening for the next wave of recruits—and families who understand the numbers get in front first.

The Recruiting Advantage of Tracking Seniors

  • Early identification: Senior-heavy depth charts force coaching staffs to replace experience fast—often long before a roster update hits the public site. Athletes who track these openings early have months of lead time over competitors who wait for official announcements.
  • Position-specific targeting: Tracking graduation counts by position lets athletes, parents, and club staffs prioritize outreach where depth charts thin out the most. If you're a goalkeeper and a program is graduating three senior goalkeepers, that's a clear signal of need.
  • Coach relationship building: Early insight means you can get on a call list before inboxes overflow during spring evaluation. Coaches remember proactive recruits who reach out before the rush.
  • Scholarship optimization: Programs losing multiple seniors often have scholarship dollars to redistribute. Understanding these turnover patterns helps families identify both need-based and merit-based financial aid opportunities.

How We Built the 2026 Senior Watchlist

To isolate the true 2026 openings, we audited 2025 rosters—the most recent season on record—and tagged the senior column for every NCAA women's soccer team across all three divisions.

Methodology

Our analysis process included:

  1. Data collection: Filtered all women's soccer programs by 2025 roster data across Division I, Division II, and Division III (total: 1,007 programs)
  2. Senior identification: Counted graduating seniors on each roster and calculated senior share using the formula: (seniors ÷ full roster) × 100
  3. Threshold setting: Flagged programs graduating five or more seniors as high-opportunity targets, recognizing that 3-4 seniors is typical for most programs
  4. Cross-verification: Cross-referenced senior counts with roster graduation years to ensure accuracy

Key Definitions

Results Summary

  • 741 teams (73.6%) will lose five or more seniors, representing significant roster turnover
  • Top outliers: Pace and Redlands lead with 15 seniors each
  • Power conference impact: Multiple Division I and high-major programs appear in the Top 25, creating rare opportunities for elite recruits

Top 25 Women's Soccer Programs Losing Seniors in 2026

Below are the 25 programs with the largest senior classes on their 2025 rosters. Each listing links directly to the live Rosterhunter profile so you can dive into positional needs, and contact info in seconds.

Rank Program Division Conference Seniors Roster Size Senior Share
1 Pace Division II NE10 15 39 38.5%
2 Redlands Division III SCIAC 15 32 46.9%
3 Hofstra Division I CAA 14 26 53.8%
4 Hawaii Hilo Division II PacWest 14 32 43.8%
5 Western Colo. Division II RMAC 14 34 41.2%
6 Salve Regina Division III NEWMAC 14 34 41.2%
7 Saint Mary's (MN) Division III MIAC 14 42 33.3%
8 Rice Division I American 13 30 43.3%
9 Texas Southern Division I SWAC 13 29 44.8%
10 CSUSB Division II CCAA 13 39 33.3%
11 Dominican (CA) Division II PacWest 13 38 34.2%
12 Franklin Pierce Division II NE10 13 50 26.0%
13 Gannon Division II PSAC 13 44 29.5%
14 Roanoke Division III ODAC 13 34 38.2%
15 St. Olaf Division III MIAC 13 31 41.9%
16 Trine Division III Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn. 13 34 38.2%
17 Middle Tenn. Division I CUSA 12 27 44.4%
18 UC Irvine Division I Big West 12 31 38.7%
19 ULM Division I Sun Belt 12 26 46.2%
20 Western Mich. Division I MAC 12 29 41.4%
21 Virginia Division I ACC 12 30 40.0%
22 CUI Division II PacWest 12 29 41.4%
23 Missouri Western Division II Mid-America Intercollegiate 12 27 44.4%
24 Newman Division II Mid-America Intercollegiate 12 37 32.4%
25 Berry Division III SAA 12 35 34.3%

Top 25 Insights: What Stands Out

Division I programs under pressure: Hofstra University leads all Division I programs with 14 seniors and a 53.8% senior share—the highest percentage in the Top 25. Rice, Texas Southern, Middle Tennessee, ULM, Western Michigan, and Virginia are all losing 12+ veterans, signaling immediate high-major playing time for goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards.

Division III excellence: Redlands leads all programs with a 46.9% senior share, while Salve Regina, Roanoke, St. Olaf, and Trine all feature prominently with 13-14 seniors each, representing exceptional opportunities for academically-focused athletes.

PacWest Conference dominance: Hawaii Hilo, Dominican (CA), and CUI give PacWest Conference recruits multiple high-turnover options, with all three programs losing 12+ seniors. Regional athletes on the West Coast should prioritize these programs for 2026-2027 recruiting.

Conference clusters: Multiple programs from the same conferences appear in the Top 25 (NE10, PacWest, MIAC, CAA), suggesting systemic recruiting opportunities within specific geographic or academic regions.

Division Breakdown: Where 2026 Openings Concentrate

Senior share varies by division, with Division I programs showing the highest average senior turnover.

  • Division I: 350 programs, averaging 6.63 seniors and a 23.7% senior share. Hofstra University's 14 seniors and 53.8% senior share lead the DI churn, followed by Rice and Texas Southern with 13 seniors each.
  • Division II: 250 programs, averaging 6.46 seniors and a 21.6% senior share. Pace, Hawaii Hilo, and Western Colorado each graduate 14 seniors, opening scholarship paths across the Northeast, West Coast, and Mountain regions.
  • Division III: 407 programs, averaging 5.79 seniors and a 19.3% senior share. Redlands, Salve Regina, and Saint Mary's (MN) feature prominently with 14-15 seniors each.

Action Plan: What This Means for 2026 and 2027 Recruits

Step 1: Identify Your Target Programs

  1. Start with the Top 25: Review programs in the rankings above that match your academic profile and geographic preferences
  2. Expand your search: Use Rosterhunter's filters to find all 741 programs with 5+ seniors graduating
  3. Filter by division: Match your competitive level (D1, D2, or D3) and academic focus
  4. Check position needs: Use position-specific filters to identify where your skills fit departing senior roles

Step 2: Prepare Your Outreach Materials

Before contacting coaches, ensure you have:

  • Updated highlight reel: Latest game footage showcasing your current skills
  • Academic profile: GPA, test scores, and course list ready to share
  • Competition schedule: Upcoming tournaments and showcases where coaches can see you play
  • Personal statement: Brief explanation of why you're interested in their program

Step 3: Make Contact Strategically

  • Prioritize high-impact programs: Start with Division I programs losing 12+ seniors (Hofstra, Rice, Texas Southern, Middle Tennessee, ULM, Western Michigan, Virginia, etc.)
  • Personalize each message: Reference specific senior departures and roster openings from their Rosterhunter profile
  • Follow up consistently: Track all communication in Rosterhunter's recruiting board
  • Include family support: Have parents or club coaches ready to assist with scheduling and logistics

Step 4: Leverage Position-Specific Data

Programs losing multiple seniors at one position create the most opportunity:

  • Goalkeepers: Programs losing 2+ senior goalkeepers need immediate replacements
  • Defenders: Critical position where departures create clear openings
  • Midfielders: The most common position, but high senior counts still indicate need
  • Forwards: Specialized position where departures create scoring opportunities

Pro Tip: Pair this senior data with Rosterhunter's roster analysis tools. View four-year roster charts to see graduation patterns and identify programs likely to need your position in 2027 as well.

Step 5: Plan Campus Visits

Programs with high senior turnover often host larger recruiting visits to replace graduating classes. Plan unofficial visits during:

  • Fall 2025: During active season to see team culture
  • Spring 2026: During evaluation periods when coaches make offers

Recruiting Timeline: When to Take Action

Timing matters in college women's soccer recruiting. Here's when to leverage this data:

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Data Methodology: This analysis is based on verified 2025 roster data from 1,007 NCAA women's soccer programs tracked in Rosterhunter's database. Senior counts reflect players in their fourth year of eligibility (or fifth year for redshirt seniors) who will graduate after the 2025 season. Data was collected and verified as of December 2025.

About This Analysis

This data analysis was compiled by the Rosterhunter Insights team to help college women's soccer recruits, parents, and coaches make data-driven recruiting decisions. We analyzed complete 2025 roster data across all three NCAA divisions to identify programs with the highest senior turnover—indicating the greatest roster openings for 2026-2027 recruits.

"We built Rosterhunter to make recruiting transparent. Instead of guessing where spots open up, players can see the numbers. Every roster tells a story—and we help athletes read it."
— Mira Solis, Editor-in-Chief, Rosterhunter Insights

Last Updated: November 30, 2025
Data Source: Rosterhunter database (1,007 verified NCAA women's soccer programs)
Next Update: This analysis will be refreshed with 2026 roster data after the 2026 season concludes

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