Baylor soccer’s fast start has pushed the Bears into rare territory.
After opening the season with a pair of wins, Baylor landed at No. 6 in the latest Intercollegiate Women’s Soccer Organization Top 25 Coaches Poll in partnership with United Soccer Coaches, the ranking announced Tuesday. That mark is the highest in program history, topping the previous best of No. 9, which Baylor first reached in 2013 and matched twice in 2018, including in the season-ending poll after a run to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
The jump comes on the heels of a 2-0 start, Baylor’s first since 2019 and the 14th in school history. It’s also the first time the Bears have opened a season with back-to-back wins over Power Conference opponents.
Baylor entered the preseason poll after a 14-5-4 season that ended with a trip to the NCAA Round of 16. The Bears finished the 2025 campaign at No. 15 after climbing as high as No. 10 in mid-October during Big 12 play, which was the top ranking of the Michelle Lenard era at that point.
The first two results this year made the ranking leap possible. Baylor went on the road and beat No.
10 Arkansas to begin the 2026 season, getting goals from Lauren Omholt in the 16th minute, Callie Conrad in the 56th, Olivia Hess in the 64th and Noelle Sather in the 66th before Arkansas answered in the 68th minute. The Bears controlled the match statistically as well, outshooting Arkansas 15-7 and putting 10 shots on goal to the Razorbacks’ three.
In the home opener, Baylor took down Texas A&M, 2-1, for its second SEC win in as many matches. Conrad opened the scoring in the seventh minute, and Grace White followed with her first career goal in the 32nd minute, which held up as the winner. Baylor finished with a 19-7 edge in shots and a 7-2 advantage in shots on goal.
The Big 12 is also represented in the poll by BYU at No. 9, Kansas at No.
12, TCU at No. 15, Colorado at No. 17 and West Virginia at No.
Baylor returns to Betty Lou Mays Field next Sunday to face Texas State. The match begins at 7:30 p.m., admission is free, and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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