Milwaukee Tabbed 2021 #HLWSOC Favorite
INDIANAPOLIS – The Milwaukee Panthers were voted the favorite to capture the League title as revealed in the fall 2021 #HLWSOC Preseason Poll. Milwaukee earned 9 first-place votes and tallied 130 points as voted by the Horizon League’s 12 head women’s soccer coaches.
The Panthers earned their third consecutive and thirteenth overall #HLWSOC tournament championship title last season after defeating No. 1 seed Northern Kentucky in penalty kicks after 110 minutes of play. Horizon League All-Tournament Team members Taylor Hattori, Rachel Phillpotts and tournament MVP Elaina LaMacchia return this season for Milwaukee.
Northern Kentucky (120 points) earned one first-place vote and was voted second in the preseason poll. The Norse went undefeated in their 2020 League campaign to win the regular season. Returning this year is 2020 Horizon League Women’s Soccer Goalkeeper and Defensive Player of the Year, Mimi Stines. All-Horizon League Second Team selections Lily Menssen and Lindsey Meyer also return to the pitch for the Norse.
Third in the preseason poll was Oakland (112 points) who received one first-place vote. The Golden Grizzlies finished sixth in the 2020 final regular season standings and return All-Horizon League First Team picks Sami Lopez and Kendra Zak. UIC (111 points) was voted fourth in the preseason poll after finishing fourth in the 2020 regular season standings and will return Grace Haines of the All-Horizon League Second Team.
IUPUI (104 points) took fifth place and sees Horizon League All-Tournament Team member Autumn Weeks return for the Jaguars. Cleveland State (91 points) was voted sixth by the League’s head coaches. 2020 Horizon League Women’s Soccer Freshman of the Year, Kathryn Ramicone, helped lead the Vikings to a fifth place finish in the final regular season standings and returns this season with All-Horizon League First Team pick, Maddie Young.
Wright State (73 points) was voted seventh in the poll while Youngstown State (46 points) earned one first-place vote to finish eighth in the poll. Rounding out the Fall 2021 #HLWSOC Preseason Poll was Green Bay (44 points), Purdue Fort Wayne (42 points), Detroit Mercy (41 points) and RMU (22 points).
The #HLWSOC regular season begins Thursday, August 19. The 2021 Horizon League Championship will see quarterfinal action taking place on October 31. Semifinals are slated for November 4 and the championship match will be November 6 at the home field of the highest seed and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Fall 2021 #HLWSOC Preseason Poll
Pl. Team – Pts. (First-place votes)
- Milwaukee – 130 (9)
- Northern Kentucky – 120 (1)
- Oakland – 112 (1)
- UIC – 111
- IUPUI – 104
- Cleveland State – 91
- Wright State – 73
- Youngstown State – 46 (1)
- Green Bay – 44
- Purdue Fort Wayne – 42
- Detroit Mercy – 41
- RMU – 22