JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman women's soccer team comes in at ninth on the All-SAC preseason polls with 42 points.

The Eagles rank over Mars Hill, Coker and Brevard. Lenoir-Rhyne flies into the number one spot with an overall 120 points.

Coach Moodie on the preseason poll: "We have to make it to the tournament. Ideally we'd like to be in the top four but we have to gain the respect that we've lost over the years. So we'd like to think that we're going to be in the top eight. We have confidence; we're going to keep building on that."

The team has eight seniors this year fighting their way back to the top. "They've got a point to prove and this is the last year for them to do it," said Moodie.

Starting goal keeper and captain Tiarna McKenna (Lisburn, Northern Ireland) is a finishing up her last semester of graduate school before traveling back home.

Coach Moodie: "McKenna spent most of the season on the bench with an injury last year. She's a huge asset to us, a fantastic goal keeper, and a role model on the team."

Samantha Thomsit (Bristol, England) and Lizeth Munguia (Wilmington, NC) hit the field as redshirt seniors.

Coach Moodie: "Thomsit didn't really get the respect that I thought she should have. She was one of the best defenders in the conference. [Munguia] I think will be a driving force in turning the team around back where it needs to be."

Danna Stringle (Woodstock, Ontario, Canada) is a transfer from the University of the Cumberlands starting her second and final season with Carson-Newman.

Coach Moodie on Stringle: "She can prove to be a bit of a handful up top. If we were going to score goals last year she was the one to look to."

Coach Moodie commented on the 13 new players added to the roster this season: "They're all very good players, all very good students. Things are clicking together well. We're hoping that these young ladies will be the heartbeat of the team."

The Eagles kick off their season at home against Alabama – Huntsville at 4:00 PM on Sept. 6.