Lions selected 10th in SAC preseason poll

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) - Carson-Newman has been selected at the South Atlantic Conference favorite for the 2018 women's soccer season, the league office announced today.

The Eagles were picked first for the third consecutive year, receiving 10 first-place nods and 110 overall points. The team was recently named No. 2 in the United Soccer Coaches Association NCAA Division II preseason poll. Carson-Newman finished 2017 as the NCAA Championship runner-up. The Eagles went 21-1-1 overall and 9-0-1 in conference action last season.

Queens University of Charlotte was tabbed No. 2 in the poll with 98 overall points. In 2017, the Royals went 12-3-3 and 8-2 in conference play, tying them for second at the end of the SAC season. The Royals earned a berth into the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional as five-seed, ending their season in the semifinals against SAC foe Carson-Newman.

Wingate was picked third in the preseason poll after finishing the 2017 season in a tie for second, going 11-4 overall and 8-2 in conference play. The Bulldogs garnered the remaining first-place vote, along with 89 points. The team wrapped up 2017 as the SAC Tournament runner-up.

Lenoir-Rhyne claimed the four-spot in the preseason rankings with 82 points. The Bears went 11-5-2 overall and 6-3-1 in SAC action.

Tusculum earned No. 5 spot in the poll, collecting 73 points. The Pioneers advanced to the conference semifinals to complete 2017 after going 10-7-1 (7-3 SAC) for the season.

Catawba sits in sixth with 58 points, Anderson is No. 7 with 53 points, and Lincoln Memorial collected the No. 8 spot with 46 points.

Newberry, Mars Hill, Coker round out the preseason poll. Newberry earned the No. 9 spot with 39 points. Mars Hill was tabbed 10th with 25 points and Coker takes the No. 11 spot with 21 points.

In addition to the 2018 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll, the 2018 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason All-Conference teams were also announced. Voted on by the league's media relations directors, the preseason all-conference teams features six players from Carson-Newman, four players from Tusculum, three players from Lenoir-Rhyne, Wingate and Queens, two players from Anderson and Newberry and a player from Catawba, Coker and Lincoln Memorial.

The 2018 SAC Women's Soccer season is set to begin on August 30 with non-conference matchups.

2018 SAC Women's Soccer PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

2018 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason All-Conference

First Team

F – Holly Talbut-Smith, Carson-Newman
F – Magda Mosengo, Carson-Newman
F – Charlotte Ring, Queens
F – Emma Rose Stockton, Queens
MF – Kimmi Moore, Wingate
MF – Abbie Brown, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Courtney Velazquez, Newberry
MF – Abigael McGarel, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Caileigh Apicella, Wingate
D – Alex Brandan, Carson-Newman
D – Averi Williams, Carson-Newman
D – Christina Shimshock, Lenoir-Rhyne
GK – Jacqueline Burns, Carson-Newman

Second Team

F – Lulu Phan, Queens
F – Emilee Futrell, Carson-Newman
F – Jordan Newby, Tusculum
F – Megan Foster, Anderson
MF – Jovana Sanchez, Catawba
MF – Sonja Ballmert, Tusculum
MF – Daphne Heyaime, Newberry
MF – Melanie Maddox, Anderson
D – Kristin Debiase, Wingate
D – Courtney Boyd, Lincoln Memorial
D – Kenzie Ellenburg, Tusculum
D – Nicole McMillen, Tusculum
GK – Samantha Hoffman, Coker