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The NCAA Division I women\u2019s soccer season is officially underway, which means we\u2019re 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.<\/span><\/p>\n 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, \u201cWait\u2026 really?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n According to PIRIo, Vanderbilt sophomore Olivia Stafford is projected to be the best player in the SEC this season.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s games in 2025 and led the team in assists while establishing herself as one of the Commodores\u2019 biggest difference-makers. And PIRIo thinks she\u2019s only getting started.<\/span><\/p>\n After Stafford was called into the U.S. U-19 Women\u2019s National Team player pool over the summer, her r\u00e9sum\u00e9 is already getting pretty impressive. But her PIRIo projection takes things to another level.<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n So what makes Stafford\u2019s projection so eye-catching? PIRIo\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n According to Hudl\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n In other words, PIRIo isn\u2019t just saying Stafford had a great freshman season. It\u2019s suggesting she could be on the verge of something much bigger.<\/span><\/p>\n If Stafford being projected as the SEC\u2019s best player wasn\u2019t enough, Vanderbilt might have another reason to feel good about its chances.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019re entering 2026 with a roster that PIRIo believes is once again loaded with talent.<\/span><\/p>\n Six of the conference\u2019s projected by PIRIo as top 27 players are Vanderbilt players:<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s a lot of Commodores.<\/span><\/p>\n Mississippi follows with five players in the top 27, while Alabama has four.<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n So, according to PIRIo, a repeat conference tournament title isn\u2019t 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\u2019re looking for a team with the pieces to make another deep run, Vanderbilt certainly checks a lot of boxes.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s Devon Winters shines.<\/span><\/p>\n The midfielder\/defender enters her senior season after an impressive career at the collegiate level \u2014 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.<\/span><\/p>\n Now, PIRIo has her ranked as the No. 12 overall player in the SEC heading into 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s exactly the kind of influence PIRIo is picking up on.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019re paying attention.<\/span><\/p>\n Now for the prediction that could get some people talking. According to PIRIo, Arkansas is not projected to finish in the SEC\u2019s top five in 2026. And considering what the Razorbacks accomplished last season, that one might make you scratch your head.<\/span><\/p>\n Arkansas has two players ranked inside PIRIo\u2019s top 27 SEC players \u2014 Mackenzie Malham at No. 14 and Vaukaba Tu\u2019ua at No. 16 \u2014 but the team itself is projected more toward the middle of the conference pack.<\/span><\/p>\n After Vanderbilt, PIRIo sees a tightly bunched group featuring LSU, Mississippi State, Auburn, Alabama and Tennessee.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s what makes this prediction especially interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019t currently see the Razorbacks finishing in the top five, there\u2019s one important caveat: This is SEC soccer and anything can happen.<\/span><\/p>\n Featured image via vucommodores.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/div>\n1. Olivia Stafford is the best player in the SEC in 2026<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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2. Vanderbilt is built to repeat<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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3. Devon Winters might be the SEC\u2019s most underrated player<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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4. Arkansas might not finish in the SEC\u2019s top five<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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