Washington – With Opening Day Friday afternoon kicking off the new season, Fordham University softball was tabbed as the favorite to win the 2026 Atlantic 10 Championship in the league's Preseason Coaches' Poll.

After winning 30 games and reaching the championship series a season ago, the Rams earned five of nine first place votes, and 75 votes overall in the poll, announced Friday afternoon. 

Dayton finished second receiving a pair of first place votes, followed by defending champion Saint Louis, which nabbed the other two first place bids and 62 overall. Saint Louis (50), George Washington (44), and Loyola Chicago (38), were tabbed to fill in the remaining playoff seeds, ahead of George Mason (34), Rhode Island (20), and St. Bonaventure (14).

The Maroon and White are already proving the league right, collecting their first win of the season in a 6-0 shutout over Belmont in the first of two games Friday in Athens, Ga. at the Black and Red Showcase hosted by Georgia. Fordham is back in action tonight at 6:00 p.m. when they take on the No. 15 Bulldogs on SEC Network+.