The South Atlantic Conference Announces 2016 Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll and All-South Atlantic Conference

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The Carson-Newman Eagles have been selected as the favorite to win the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Women's Soccer Championship, the League announced today. The Eagles, who are currently ranked 11^th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NCSAA) Division II Preseason Poll, finished with seven first place votes and a total of 115 votes. Carson-Newman finished 19-3 overall and 10-1 in the SAC in 2015. The Eagles look to string together another successful season after advancing to the Sweet 16 of the 2015 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship.

Carson-Newman captured first by beating out Wingate University by a small margin of three votes. Wingate finished the 2015 season 15-3-2 overall and 8-1-2 in SAC competition. The Bulldogs advanced to the 2015 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship a season ago.

Lenoir-Rhyne placed third in the poll as they collected 106 points. The Bears finished the 2015 season with a 12-4-2 record overall and finished at 8-2-1 in the Conference.

Queens landed in fourth-place with 89 points, ahead of Anderson who picked up 81 points. The Royals posted an 11-6-2 overall record a season ago and went 8-2-1 in SAC games.  The Anderson Trojans closed out their year with a 14-4-1 mark overall and an 8-3 record in the SAC.

Tusculum's 65 points from the panel was good for the No. 6 slot, while Newberry finished in seventh with 59 points.

The Pioneers closed out the 2015 campaign at 9-8-2 overall and 5-4-2 in South Atlantic Conference action, while Newberry wrapped up its year with a 5-10-2 overall mark and a 4-7 South Atlantic Conference record.

Lincoln Memorial landed in the No. 8 position with 57 points and Coker College placed No. 9 in the poll with 33 points. 

The Railsplitters posted a 5-9-3 overall record during the 2015 season and went 3-6-2 in the South Atlantic Conference. Coker went 4-11 overall and 2-9 in SAC games during the 2015 season.

Catawba came in at No. 10 with 28 points, as Mars Hill (27 points) and Brevard (20 points) rounded out the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll.

The preseason first and second teams were also announced today. Carson-Newman University recorded the most athletes recognized on the first team with four. Queens and Wingate each had three players on the first-team. Tusculum recognized a pair of teammates while Lenoir-Rhyne also had one player voted to the first-team.

Julianne Herrity from Carson-Newman headlines the first-team forwards. Herrity recorded 16 goals and four assists. She also ranked first in game winning goals with seven.

Queens Charlotte Ring, Carly Mill of Tusculum, and Kendall Smith from Lenoir-Rhyne joined Herrity on the list of first-team forwards.  Smith scored five goals on 57 shots and added an assist a season ago. Ring scored 11 goals on two assists, while Mill also found the back of the net seven times.

Katja Andersson of Tusculum headlines the first team All-Conference midfielders. Andersson scored six goals during her 19 games played this past season.

Kaitlyn Brunworth of Wingate, and teammates, Varin Ness and Heida Ragney of Carson-Newman University rounded of the first-team midfielders. 

Brunworth started in all 20 games that she played in and recorded six goals on three assists.

Macy Franklin from Wingate tops the list of first-team defenders for the second consecutive year, while Queens teammates Ashley Osiecki and Mariah Lewis and Carson Newman's Megan Peterson earned first-team defender honors as well. 

Alexis Jones from Wingate was voted the first-team goalkeeper.  Jones had the best save percentage in the league at .857 and recorded 10 shutouts in her 14 wins.

The 2016 South Atlantic Conference women's soccer season is set to get underway on Thursday, Sept. 1.

First Team All-Conference

F – Julianne Herrity, Carson-Newman
F – Charlotte Ring, Queens
F – Carly Mill, Tusculum
F – Kendall Smith, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Katja Andersson, Tusculum
MF – Kaitlyn Brunworth, Wingate
MF – Varin Ness, Carson-Newman
MF – Heida Ragney, Carson-Newman
D – Macy Franklin, Wingate
D – Ashley Osiecki, Queens
D – Megan Peterson, Carson-Newman
D – Mariah Lewis, Queens
GK – Alexis Jones, Wingate

F – Erika Linch, Newberry
F –Alaina Gay, Anderson
F – Becky Frost, Catawba
MF – Kathy Fisher, Queens
MF – Breona Tate, Mars Hill
MF – Elizabeth Gutierrez, Newberry
MF – Tera Dolan, Anderson
D – Elissa Lane, Carson-Newman
D – Kim Migliarese, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Shelby Osiecki, Queens
D – Carlie Thornber, Tusculum
GK – Jessica Fraiture, Carson-Newman