IRVING, Texas – Defending American Athletic Conference women’s soccer champion Memphis has been named the 2022 preseason favorite, as voted by the league’s head coaches.
The Tigers were named the favorite after receiving 62 points, including six first-place votes. 2021 regular season champion South Florida was second with 52 points (one first-place vote), while UCF (one first-place vote) and SMU were tied for third with 48 points. Cincinnati and Houston (one first-place vote) were tied for fifth with 33 points, followed by Temple (20), East Carolina (19) and Tulsa (10).
Saorla Miller of Memphis was named the league’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year after being named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of The American’s 2022 Championship. She tallied five goals and three assists last season.
Ashley Barron of Cincinnati is the reigning two-time American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and has been tabbed to win the award for a third-consecutive season.
UCF’s Caroline DeLisle has been named the conference’s Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year after earned five clean sheets in 2021 on the way being named The American’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
Eight members of the 2021 All-American Athletic Conference First Team were named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. UCF led all programs with three selections on the preseason squad, while Cincinnati, Memphis and SMU each had two.
Preseason Coaches Poll
| 1 |
Memphis (6) |
62 |
| 2 |
South Florida (1) |
52 |
| 3 |
UCF (1) |
48 |
|
SMU |
48 |
| 5 |
Cincinnati |
33 |
|
Houston (1) |
33 |
| 7 |
Temple |
20 |
| 8 |
East Carolina |
19 |
| 9 |
Tulsa |
10 |
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Saorla Miller, Sr., M/F, Memphis
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Ashley Barron, Sr., D, Cincinnati
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Caroline DeLisle, R-Sr., UCF
Preseason All-Conference Team
Caroline DeLisle, R-Sr., GK, UCF
Darya Rajaee, Sr., D, UCF
Kristen Scott, Sr., F, UCF
Ashley Barron, Sr., D, Cincinnati*
Vanessa DiNardo, Gr., F, Cincinnati
Emma Clarke, Sr., D, Houston
Saorla Miller, Sr., M/F, Memphis
Grace Stordy, Jr., M/D, Memphis
Vivianne Bessette, So., D, South Florida*
Wayny Balata, Sr., M, SMU
Courtney Sebazco, Gr., M, SMU
Emily Kavanaugh, Sr., F, Temple
* denotes unanimous selection