The Greensboro College women’s soccer team was voted sixth out of 13 teams in the USA South Athletic Conference Coaches poll released on Wednesday. The Pride, who received 92 points in the poll, are coming off a 7-11 overall finish in 2012, finishing sixth in the final conference standings with a 6-5 mark.
Greensboro returns nine players with starting experience, including leading scorer Allison Gibson and All-Conference defender T’Keyah Henry. Overall, 74% of the team’s scoring is back from a year ago, with Gibson accounting for 12 of the team’s 31 goals.
Joining Gibson and Henry as full-time returning starters are forward Tiffany Walters; midfielders Mary Randolph, Melanie Raton and Sydney Boggs; and defenders Molly O’Keefe and Elizabeth Albinson.
Jessica Thatcher is the lone goalkeeper with playing experience, having appeared in eight games as a freshman in 2012, starting two. She earned one shut out victory in goal and notched 16 total saves.
Averett was voted first, earning 144 points and 12 first place votes. The 2013 season marks the first in the USA South for new Conference members Covenant College and Huntingdon College. Both institutions are former members of the Great South Athletic Conference.
Greensboro kicks off the season on August 30 with a 2 p.m. contest at Washington & Lee.
2013 USA South Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank Institution (1st Place Votes) Pts. 1. Averett (12) 144 2. Maryville (1) 131 3. Meredith 115 4. Piedmont 107 5. Covenant 94 6. Greensboro 92 7. Methodist 78 8. Ferrum 70 9. LaGrange 59 10. N.C. Wesleyan 48 11. Huntingdon 37 12. William Peace 25 13. Mary Baldwin 14