PROVIDENCE, R.I. – USF earned the most points and four first-place votes to take the top spot in the 2019 American Athletic Conference women’s soccer preseason coaches’ poll. The Bulls totaled 76 points to edge Memphis (74 points, four first-place votes) for the No. 1 ranking. UCF garnered the final two first-place votes and slots third with 66 points.
USF, which claimed the regular season title a season ago, is also home to one of the top preseason individual award winners, as senior Evelyne Viens is now a three-time Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, along with her Offensive Player of the Year honors last fall. Viens led the league with 20 goals and 46 points in 2018.
Memphis’ Elizabeth Moberg has been tabbed the Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year a season after helping lead the Tigers to their first American Women’s Soccer Championship. Moberg led The American with a 0.76 goals against average and had 13 shutouts last season.
Jayda Hylton-Pelaia of ECU earned the league’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors. She returns for her senior season after garnering an All-Conference second team nod last fall along with a spot on the American Women’s Soccer Championship All-Tournament Team.
The 2019 Preseason All-Conference Team features seven players selected as first-team All-Conference performers last fall, and 12 players who earned postseason league accolades. Memphis leads the pack with three preseason all-conference selections, while UCF, USF and SMU each had two preseason members.
USF checked into the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll at No. 18, followed by Memphis ranked at No. 20. Both the Bulls and Tigers advanced to the NCAA Championship last season, with USF tallying an opening round victory over Albany.
SMU, ECU, Cincinnati and UConn ranked fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively, while Houston, Temple and Tulsa closed out the preseason poll.
The 2019 women’s soccer season begins Thursday, August 22, with conference action kicking off Thursday, September 26.
2019 Preseason Coaches’ Poll
| Place |
School |
Points (1st Place Votes) |
| 1. |
USF |
76 (4) |
| 2. |
Memphis |
74 (4) |
| 3. |
UCF |
66 (2) |
| 4. |
SMU |
59 |
| 5. |
ECU |
45 |
| 6. |
Cincinnati |
37 |
| 7. |
UConn |
33 |
| 8. |
Houston |
26 |
| 9. |
Temple |
19 |
| 10. |
Tulsa |
15 |
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Evelyne Viens, USF, Sr., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jayda Hylton-Pelaia, ECU, Sr., D
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Elizabeth Moberg, Memphis, Jr., GK
Preseason All-Conference Team
Konya Plummer, UCF, Sr., D
Kristen Scott, UCF, So., F
Vanessa DiNardo, Cincinnati, So., F
Jayda Hylton-Pelaia, ECU, Sr., D
Desiree Bowen, Houston, Sr., F
Serena Dolan, Memphis, Sr., M
Clarissa Larisey, Memphis, Jr., F *
Elizabeth Moberg, Memphis, Jr., GK
Andrea Hauksdottir, USF, Sr., M
Evelyne Viens, USF, Sr., F *
Courtney Sebazco, SMU, So., M
Allie Thornton, SMU, Sr., F *
Anna Williams, Tulsa, Sr., F
[*] Denotes unanimous selection