Milwaukee Tabbed #HLWSOC Favorite
INDIANPOLIS – Milwaukee has been named the favorite to capture the League title as the 2018 Horizon League Women’s Soccer preseason poll was revealed today. The poll was voted on by the League’s 10 head coaches.
The Panthers topped the ranking with 87 points including five first-place votes. MKE returns reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kelli Swenson along with first team all-league honoree Lourdes Onwuemeka and All-Freshman Team selections Taylor Tabbert and Mackenzie Schill.
2017 Horizon League Tournament Champion IUPUI followed in second place in the preseason poll with 80 points and three first-place votes. The Jaguars will look to win back-to-back titles as they return last season’s Goalkeeper of the Year Sophia Lipka and a trio of All-Freshman Team selections in Valentine Pursey, Natalie McNally and Miranda Ricks.
Wright State was ranked third with 72 points, followed closely by Northern Kentucky with 69 points and both teams earned a first-place vote. WSU will have a pair of senior all-league second team performers on the field this season in Aaliyah Patten and Mattie Cutts, while NKU returns senior defender and all-league second team performer Taylor Spaulding.
Cleveland State was only three points away from being in the top four, coming in with 66 points, and will return to the pitch the 2017 Freshman of the Year Jenna Prathapa.
UIC came in sixth place with 57 points, followed by Oakland with 40 points, Detroit Mercy with 37 points, Youngstown State with 24 points and Green Bay with 18 points.
The regular season begins on Thursday, August 16 with Wright State traveling to Louisville, followed on Friday with the rest of the League playing its regular season openers. The 2018 Horizon League Championship will begin on Oct. 29 with quarterfinal action and continues Nov. 1-3 with the semifinals and championship game at the home field of the highest seed that meets facility requirements.
2018 Horizon League Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll
Pl. Team - Points (First-Place Votes)
1. Milwaukee – 87 (5)
2. IUPUI – 80 (3)
3. Wright State – 72 (1)
4. Northern Kentucky – 69 (1)
5. Cleveland State – 66
6. UIC – 57
7. Oakland – 40
8. Detroit Mercy – 37
9. Youngstown State – 24
10. Green Bay – 18