PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Little East Conference recently released their Fall 2025 Preseason Coaches' Polls and the Owls' rankings were highlighted by being picked to finish atop the conference in both men's and women's cross country, just as they had finished the 2024 season.
 
On the women's side, the Owls will look to win their fourth consecutive LEC championship later in the year, this time on their home course at the Owls Athletic Complex on Saturday, November 1. The Owls were unanimously picked to win the conference for the fourth year in a row as the team received 64 points, including eight first-place votes to take the first place in the poll. Eastern Connecticut State University came in second in the voting with 51 points, while the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University tied for third with 45 points apiece. The Owls return their top finisher from the 2024 season as Maggie St. John finished second with a time of 18:44.80 in the 2024 LEC Championship, along with the 2024 LEC Rookie of the Year Kallie Warner, who placed fifth at the LECs (19:00.20).
 
For the Owls' men's cross country team, they were also picked to repeat as LEC Champions after the programs' 16th championship the previous season. The Owls led the way with 61 points in the preseason poll as they received six first-place votes from the coaches in the conference. The next three teams in the poll were the same order as the women's side as ECSU came in second with 51 points, while UMass-Dartmouth and PSU tied with 49 points and all three teams received a first-place vote. The Owls return two key juniors who finished top-five in the 2024 championships as Tyler Bolaske finished fourth (25:55.17) and Griffin Urnezis placed fifth (25:58.82). The Owls' cross country season opens on Saturday, August 30, at 10:00 AM for the Keene State Alumni Meet at the Owl Athletic Complex.
 
The 2025 season for the Owls marks the final season for head coach Amy Watson as she is retiring following her 36th season leading the Owls' program. After winning the program's 15th LEC Championship in a 3-2 game on the road at Vermont State University Castleton in 2024, the Owls finished second in the LEC preseason poll with 33 points and three first-place votes, just one point behind Castleton with 34 and four first place votes. Southern Maine and PSU rounded out the third and fourth places with 22 and 21 points respectively. The Owls return two All-LEC members from their 2024 season as Grace Bazin was named the LEC Offensive Player of the Year and selected to the All-LEC First Team returns, alongside Meghan Daileanes who was selected to the All-LEC Second Team. The Owls open their 2025 season against Rivier University at the Owl Athletic Complex on Friday, August 29, at 6:00 PM with Coach Watson one win away from becoming the 14th coach in NCAA field hockey history to reach 500 career wins across all levels.
 
The Owls' volleyball team placed six in the preseason poll with 27 points from the head coaches. UMass-Dartmouth was the unanimously selected for first with 64 points and eight first place votes while UMass-Boston came in second with 55 points. Three through five were separated by eight points with Western Connecticut State University finishing in third with 48 points, while PSU was in fourth with 42 and ECSU placed fifth with 40 points. The Owls returned junior setter Alexis Small after her 2024 season where she was selected to the Second Team All-LEC. The Owls will look to improve in head coach Jacob Girard's second season leading the Owls after their 14-16 record and sixth-place finish in the LEC on the 2024 season. The Owls kick off their campaign with the Springfield College Invitational/Dearling Classic on Friday, August 29, at 7:00 PM against Rivier University.
 
Men's soccer was also selected sixth in the preseason coaches' poll as they received 30 votes. UMass-Boston edged out Western Connecticut for the first-place selection as the Beacons were awarded 62 points including six first-place votes, while the Wolves received two first-place votes and 56 points. RIC, Eastern Connecticut, and Castleton rounded out the three through five rankings with 51 (and one first place vote), 40, and 31 points respectively. The Owls return senior captain Damir Hamzic as he missed the previous season due to a season-ending injury in the preseason. Hamzic looks to help lead the Owls as he looks to earn an All-Little East First Team selection once again, just as he had done in his last season of action in 2023. KSC opens their 2025 season at home on Sunday, August 31, at 1:00 PM against Worcester State University as the Owls look to avenge their 4-0 loss to the Lancers from the previous season.
 
KSC women's soccer was selected to finish ninth in the preseason poll with 15 points, just two behind UMass-Dartmouth and PSU who tied with 17 points for seventh place. Southern Maine earned the first spot with 59 points, including five first place votes, while UMass-Boston was close behind with 56 and Western Connecticut was one back of the Beacons with 55 as they both received a pair of first-place votes. The Owls return their top goal scorers as Elizabeth Tschudin (five goals and four assists) and Emily O'Connell (two goals and five assists) return for their junior seasons. Alongside Tschudin being named to the Second Team All-LEC, her teammate Giuliana Stolfi returns for her senior season after her second consecutive season being named to an All-LEC team. The Owls look to improve from their 2024 season as they open their slate at Rivier on Saturday, August 30, at 6:00 PM as KSC looks to improve to 4-0 all time against the Raiders.