KANSAS CITY – Texas Wesleyan University received votes in the preseason edition of the 2026 STADIONIC-NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll, released Monday by the NAIA, as the Rams begin preparations for the upcoming football season.

Two-time defending national champion Grand View (Iowa) enters the 2026 season as the nation's top-ranked team, receiving 13 of the first-place votes. Keiser (Fla.) is ranked second, followed by Benedictine (Kan.), College of Idaho and Montana Tech to round out the top five.

Texas Wesleyan was among the teams receiving votes in the preseason poll, joining Baker (Kan.), Bethel (Tenn.), Concordia (Neb.), Cumberland (Tenn.), Dickinson State (N.D.), Kansas Wesleyan, Louisiana Christian, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), OUAZ (Ariz.), Pikeville (Ky.), Saint Xavier (Ill.), St. Francis (Ill.) and Taylor (Ind.).

The preseason poll marks the first of seven coaches polls scheduled for the 2026 season. Three national selection committee polls will follow, along with the final ARC rating on Nov. 15 and the postseason poll on Jan. 4.

The 2026 NAIA football season will culminate with the NAIA National Championship Game on Dec. 19 at Crowley ISD Multipurpose Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. The championship game will be carried live on the NAIA family of broadcast networks at www.naia.org/watch.

Texas Wesleyan opens the 2026 season Thursday, Aug. 27, against NCAA Division II member Central Oklahoma at Farrington Field in Fort Worth. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.