2023 South Atlantic Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
ROCK HILL, S.C. - In the 2023 South Atlantic Conference Preseason Coaches' poll, Carson-Newman has been picked to finish fourth as voted on by the league's coaches and announced this morning.
"It's time for us to go out and prove how good we are," Carson-Newman head coach Simon Duffy said. "We have 12 new players that have come in and are trying to get them integrated into the system and get them gelled with the team. So far, so good."
Carson-Newman concluded 2022 with a 9-4-4 record, going 7-2-2 in conference action. The quality conference record earned C-N a three seed in the SAC Tournament before eventually falling to Wingate in the SAC quarterfinals.
The 2022 season was highlighted by a seven-game winning streak, the program's longest since 2018. During the seven-game winning streak, the Eagles outscored their opponents 23-3 and scored multiple goals in six of those wins.
C-N returns 12 players that helped contribute to 15 of the 36 goals scored last season. Leading the group of returning players is graduate student Addie Henry (Chattanooga, Tenn.). The four-time All-SAC player has 49 career starts, with 10 goals and 11 assists. Abbie Zander returns after leading C-N with five assists last season.
Catawba was picked first in the preseason poll, receiving eight first place votes. Lenoir Rhyne slides into second place, with the Bears receiving the other four first place votes. Wingate rounds out the top three with 96 points.
After Carson-Newman, the defending SAC tournament champions Limestone scored 81 points for fifth place. Anderson holds sixth place by 20 points over Newberry. Tusculum, Lincoln Memorial and Coker finish out the top ten. Mars Hill and Emory & Henry round out the poll.
"Our conference is getting stronger and stronger," Duffy said. "Even the bottom teams are really stepping up. It's going to be a tough league again this year. It's been improving every year since I have been here. We just need to make sure the new players coming in are learning from the returners what's expected and the way we want to represent ourselves."
Duffy's crew begins the 2023 season with a home match against North Greenville on Aug 31 at 4pm.
