PROVIDENCE, R.I. – UConn, the defending American Athletic Conference women’s soccer tournament champion, was voted as the favorite in the 2015 preseason coaches’ poll. The Huskies earned 76 points and received four first-place votes from the league's 10 head coaches.
UConn claimed its first American Athletic Conference women’s soccer tournament championship in 2014 after defeating top-seeded UCF in the semifinals, and advancing past USF in the final (3-2 in penalty kicks). Last year also marked the Huskies’ 29th NCAA tournament appearance, and their first year competing in the tournament since 2010. UConn dropped a 1-0 decision to Penn State in the second round, and finished the season with a 14-5-5 overall record. This season the Huskies return three of their top four scorers including Rachel Hill (16g, 3a), Danielle Gottwik (6g, 4a), and Samantha McGuire (6g, 3a). Head coach Len Tsantiris enters his 35th year at the helm of the program, with his team receiving votes (33 points) in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America preseason coaches’ poll, announced Aug. 3.
UCF finished second in the poll with 74 points and six first-place votes. The Knights have been ranked or receiving votes in every NSCAA poll since Dec. 6, 2011, and are No. 17 in the 2015 preseason rankings. The 2014 American Athletic Conference regular season champion has earned eight-straight NCAA tournament berths and advanced to the third last season, before being eliminated by eventual national champion and No. 1-ranked Florida State.
The coaches voted USF in third place with 64 points. The Bulls are also receiving votes (3 points) in the NSCAA 2015 preseason poll. Memphis followed in fourth place with 62 points, while Cincinnati was picked fifth with 44 points. East Carolina tallied 39 points to finish sixth, followed by Tulsa (38 points) in seventh and SMU (23 points) in eighth. Temple received 21 points and Houston had nine points to round out the poll.
UConn junior Rachel Hill was unanimously chosen as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Memphis senior Diamond Simpson was tabbed Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Each player earned the respective honors for the second consecutive year. Temple senior Shauni Kerkhoff was nominated as the Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year.
Eleven student-athletes were selected to the 2015 Preseason All-Conference Team, including Ashley Spivey from UCF; Hill from UConn; Kendall Frey from East Carolina; Simpson and Valerie Sanderson from Memphis; Olivia Chance and Jackie Simpson from USF; Claire Oates from SMU; Kerkhoff and Kelly Farrell from Temple, and Rachel Thun from Tulsa. Hill and Chance were both unanimous selections.
The 2015 women's soccer season begins Friday, Aug. 21.
2015 American Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Honors
Preseason Coaches' Poll
|
Place |
School |
Points |
First-Place Votes |
|
1 |
UConn |
76 |
4 |
|
2 |
UCF |
74 |
6 |
|
3 |
USF |
64 |
|
|
4 |
Memphis |
62 |
|
|
5 |
Cincinnati |
44 |
|
|
6 |
East Carolina |
39 |
|
|
7 |
Tulsa |
38 |
|
|
8 |
SMU |
23 |
|
|
9 |
Temple |
21 |
|
|
10 |
Houston |
9 |
|
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
*Rachel Hill, UConn, Jr., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Diamond Simpson, Memphis, Sr.
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Shauni Kerkhoff, Temple, Sr.
Preseason All-Conference Team
Ashley Spivey, UCF, Sr., F
*Rachel Hill, UConn, Jr., F
Kendall Frey, East Carolina, Sr., F
Valerie Sanderson, Memphis, Jr., F
Diamond Simpson, Memphis, Sr., D
*Olivia Chance, USF, Sr., M
Jackie Simpson, USF, Sr., D
Claire Oates, SMU, So., M
Kelly Farrell, Temple, Sr., M
Shauni Kerkhoff, Temple, Sr., GK
Rachel Thun, Tulsa, So., M
[*] – Denotes unanimous selection