The East Coast Conference announced the results of the 2026 Field Hockey Preseason Poll, celebrating the inaugural season of ECC field hockey. Molloy placed sixth overall totaling 15 points.

Mercy took the top spot, earning 33 points and three first-place votes followed by Roberts Wesleyan in a close second with 29 points and three first-place votes. D'Youville (20 points), St. Thomas Aquinas (18 points), Molloy, and Dominican (11 points) rounded out the field.
 
The inaugural Preseason Player of the Year voting ended in a tie with Charlotte Sabert (Mercy) and Mary Catherine Maloney (Roberts Wesleyan) earning co-honors.

The Lions are on the hunt for a fresh start in their new conference after a 1-15 record in 2025. 2026 marks the first season that all of Molloy's NCAA sports will fall under the same competing conference after the field hockey program spent three seasons as an independent and six as an associate member of the Northeast-10 Conference, one of the most competitive Division II leagues in the nation.
 
The season begins with a five-game road series that stretches nearly the entire month of September beginning September 4 at Franklin Pierce. The home opener is slated for September 30 against Adelphi at 3:00 p.m. from Mitchel Field. The Lions will play a double round robin regular season within the ECC beginning with St. Thomas Aquinas on October 3 at home and ending November 7 at home against Mercy.
 
Four teams will make up the ECC postseason with semifinal matches taking place on November 11. The inaugural ECC Field Hockey Champion will be crowned on November 14 at the highest remaining seed.