Martinsen named to preseason All-SAC Second Team

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Lincoln Memorial has been selected at the South Atlantic Conference favorite for the 2019 women's soccer season, the league office announced today.

The Railsplitters were picked first after receiving seven first-place nods and 106 overall points. The team was recently named No. 19 in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II preseason poll. LMU finished 2018 as an NCAA Southeast Regional participant and South Atlantic Conference Tournament champions. The Railsplitters went 14-5-2 overall and 7-3 in conference action last season.

Carson-Newman was tabbed No. 2 in the poll with three first place votes and 100 overall points. In 2018, the Eagles went 15-4-1 and 9-1 in conference play, claiming the SAC regular season title. The Eagles, ranked No. 21 in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Preseason Poll, earned a berth into the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional, advancing to the regional semifinal match in 2018.

Lenoir-Rhyne was picked third in the preseason poll after finishing the 2018 season with a record of 11-6-1 overall and 7-3 in conference play. The Bears garnered the remaining first-place vote, along with 93 points.

Catawba claimed the four-spot in the preseason rankings with 82 points. The Catawba Indians went 13-6 overall and 6-4 in SAC action last season.

Tusculum earned No. 5 spot in the poll, collecting 66 points. The Pioneers completed 2018 with a record of 8-7-3 (5-3-2 SAC) for the season.

Queens sits in sixth with 63 points, Wingate is No. 7 with 59 points, and Anderson collected the No. 8 spot with 57 points.

Newberry, Mars Hill, Coker round out the preseason poll. Newberry earned the No. 9 spot with 37 points. Mars Hill was tabbed tenth with 29 points and Coker takes the No. 11 spot with 17 points.

In addition to the 2019 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll, the 2019 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 five players from Lincoln Memorial, four players each from Carson-Newman, Catawba and Lenoir-Rhyne, three players from Anderson, two players from Queens, and a player each from Mars Hill, Newberry, Tusculum and Wingate.

The 2019 SAC Women's Soccer season is set to begin on September 5 with non-conference matchups.

2019 SAC Women's Soccer PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

2019 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason All-Conference

First Team

F – Daphne Heyaime, Newberry
F – Emilee Futrell, Carson-Newman
F – Jessica Cravero, Lincoln Memorial
F – Itzel Ballesteros, Lincoln Memorial
MF – Maria Hernandez, Lincoln Memorial
MF – Jovana Sanchez, Catawba
MF – Aqsa Mushtaq, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Mariana Diaz, Lincoln Memorial
D – Christina Shimshock, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Jente Kuper, Carson-Newman
D – Leanne Bryant, Queens
D – Katie Webb, Catawba
GK – Jackie Burns, Carson-Newman

Second Team

F – Lulu Phan, Queens
F - Sanne Martinsen, Mars Hill
F – Hannah Van eerden, Lenoir-Rhyne
F – Kirsten Armetta, Anderson
MF – Abigael McGarel, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Bethany Morgan, Anderson
MF – McKenna Delong, Wingate
MF – Lara Hallgrimsdottir, Carson-Newman
D – Katie Beck, Catawba
D – Fabienne Loetscher, Lincoln Memorial
D – Maggie Black, Anderson
D – Kenzie Ellenburg, Tusculum
GK – Shelby Thompson, Catawba