August 16, 2022

South Atlantic Conference releases preseason polls, All-SAC teams

The Mars Hill women's soccer team was selected 11th in the South Atlantic Conference preseason poll, as released by the league Tuesday morning.

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Catawba has been selected as the South Atlantic Conference favorite for the 2022 women's soccer season, the league office announced today.

The Catawba Indians were picked first after receiving 11 first-place nods and 121 overall points. Catawba finished the 2022 season with a record of 18-0-3 overall, going 10-0-1 in SAC play and the Indians brought home the 2022 SAC Women's Soccer Regular Season and Tournament Titles. Leading the way for Catawba will be eight preseason all-conference selections, including last season's Offensive Player of the Year, Hannah Dunn, and Defensive Player of the Year, Katie Beck. The Indians are a preseason No. 21 pick according to the United Soccer Coaches National Poll.

Lenoir-Rhyne was tabbed No. 2 in the poll with a first place vote and 111 overall points. In 2022, the Bears went 12-6-5 overall and 8-3 in SAC play. They won the NCAA Southeast Regional and advanced to the NCAA Women's Soccer National Semifinals for the first time in program history. The Bears are a preseason No. 4 pick according to the United Soccer Coaches National Poll.

Carson-Newman was picked third in the preseason poll with 98 points, followed by Wingate in the four-spot in the preseason rankings with 92 points. Limestone was tagged in the No. 5 spot in the poll collecting 82 points, while Lincoln Memorial was picked as the No. 6 team with 69 points.

Newberry sits in seventh with 61 points, Anderson is No. 8 with 51 points, and Tusculum collected the No. 9 spot with 44 points.

Coker, Mars Hill, and Emory & Henry round out the preseason poll. Coker earned the No. 10 spot with 27 points. Mars Hill was tabbed eleventh with 25 points and Emory & Henry takes the No. 12 spot with 11 points.

In addition to the 2022 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll, the 2022 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason All-Conference teams were also announced. Voted on by the league's media relations directors, the preseason all-conference teams feature eight players from Catawba, six players from Lenoir-Rhyne, five players from Lincoln Memorial, and Wingate, four players from Carson-Newman, two players from Anderson, Limestone, and Tusculum, and one player from Emory & Henry and Newberry.

The 2022 SAC women's soccer season will kick-off on Thursday, August 25.

For a full schedule of matches for the 2022 season, visit www.thesac.com.

2022 SAC Women's Soccer PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

Rank	School (First Place Votes)	Points
1.	Catawba (11)	121
2.	Lenoir-Rhyne (1)	111
3.	Carson-Newman	98
4.	Wingate	92
5.	Limestone	82
6.	Lincoln Memorial	69
7.	Newberry	61
8.	Anderson	51
9.	Tusculum	44
10.	Coker	27
11.	Mars Hill	25
12.	Emory & Henry	11