DBU is favored to repeat as Lone Star Conference women's soccer champions in the 2022 LSC preseason poll announced on Wednesday.
The league’s preseason poll reflects the opinions of LSC head coaches, sports information directors and various media representatives throughout the region.
DBU collected 434 points and earned 24 of 35 first-place votes in the poll. The Patriots are coming off of the most successful season in program history, advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Championship after claiming a second South Central Regional title. DBU went 12-1 in conference play and completed the season 20-4 overall.
The Rambelles landed in second in the preseason poll with 388 total points and 10 first-place nods. ASU was 16-5-2 overall last season and won its second consecutive LSC tournament title.
West Texas A&M finished third with 368 points, including one first-place vote. The Lady Buffs were followed by Midwestern State (363) in fourth and Texas Woman’s (323) in fifth to round out the top five. All three teams made LSC tournament appearances in 2021 and MSU earned its first NCAA postseason berth since 2017.
St. Mary’s captured sixth with 274 points and was joined by St. Edward’s (251), Lubbock Christian (212), UT Tyler (171) and Oklahoma Christian (163) to close out the top 10.
In addition to the preseason poll, three women’s soccer student-athletes received preseason player of the year awards. WT’s Asha James was tabbed as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, ASU’s Cassidy Hill claimed Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and the Rambelles’ Kira Miller was recognized as the Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year.
James, a junior from Canaan, Trinidad and Tobago, had her best season for the Lady Buffs in 2021, more than tripling her previous scoring high with 14 goals and three assists. The midfielder helped lead the nation’s top offensive attack as WT averaged a Division II-leading 3.45 goals per match. James ranked fourth in the LSC in goals scored and ranked second in shots per game (4.70) and shots on goal per game (2.25) last season on her way to all-conference honors.
Hill, a senior from Forney, Texas, helped lead the LSC’s top defensive unit for a second consecutive season, as the Rambelles averaged just .798 goals against average. The center back also registered her second career goal from the back line and received first-team all-conference honors for the second straight season.
Miller, a senior from Frisco, Texas, played every minute in goal for ASU in 2021, allowing 19 goals in 2,142 minutes while stopping 53 shots. The reigning LSC Goalkeeper of the Year tied an LSC single-season record with her 12 shutouts and ranked fifth in the category across Division II last season.
Additionally, 32 players - 11 offensive, 10 defensive, and 11 goalkeepers - were selected for the first LSC women’s soccer preseason players to watch list. The student-athletes were nominated by their member institution for recognition.
The 2022 women’s soccer season begins Thursday, August 25, with 13 teams competing in a single-round robin schedule. The LSC Women’s Soccer Championship will include the top seven teams based on conference points. Tournament play will open on Tuesday, November 1, with quarterfinal matches at on-campus venues. The semifinals and championship will be hosted by the No. 1 seed. Semifinal matches will be Friday, November 4, followed by the championship match on Sunday, November 6.
2022 LSC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
| Rank |
School |
1st |
Total |
| 1 |
DBU |
24 |
434 |
| 2 |
Angelo State |
10 |
388 |
| 3 |
West Texas A&M |
1 |
368 |
| 4 |
Midwestern State |
|
363 |
| 5 |
Texas Woman's |
|
323 |
| 6 |
St. Mary's |
|
274 |
| 7 |
St. Edward's |
|
251 |
| 8 |
Lubbock Christian |
|
212 |
| 9 |
UT Tyler |
|
171 |
| 10 |
Oklahoma Christian |
|
163 |
| 11 |
Texas A&M International |
|
117 |
| 12 |
UT Permian Basin |
|
77 |
| 13 |
Eastern New Mexico |
|
44 |
LSC Women's Soccer Offensive Players to Watch
| Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Major |
Hometown/High School |
| Valerie Solis |
Angelo State |
SR |
MF |
Biology |
Arlington, Texas/Arlington Martin HS |
| Michelle Gonzalez |
DBU |
SR |
MF |
Kinesiology |
Garland, Texas/Parish Episcopal |
| Tori Galindo |
Eastern New Mexico |
SR |
MF/F |
Kinesiology |
Chino, Calif./Chino HS |
| Celia Duarte |
Lubbock Christian |
JR |
F |
Pre-Physical Therapy |
Mansfield, Texas/Lake Ridge HS |
| Cassidy Savoy |
Midwestern State |
JR |
F |
Psychology |
Fort Worth, Texas/Eaton HS |
| Juni Ejere |
St. Mary's |
SR |
F |
Business |
Weatherford, Texas/Weatherford HS |
| Krysan St. Louis |
Texas A&M International |
JR |
F |
Business Admin. |
Vieux-Fort, Saint Lucia/Vieux-Fort Secondary |
| Keely Chapman |
Texas Woman's |
SR |
F |
Kinesiology |
Norman, Okla./Norman North HS |
| Alexandra Sanchez |
UT Permian Basin |
SO |
F |
Biology |
Longview, Texas/Longview HS |
| Faith Adje |
UT Tyler |
SO |
F |
Kinesiology |
Frisco, Texas/Little Elm HS |
| Asha James |
West Texas A&M |
JR |
MF |
Psychology |
Canaan, Trinidad & Tobago/Signal Hill Secondary |
LSC Women's Soccer Defensive Players to Watch
| Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Major |
Hometown/High School |
| Cassidy Hill |
Angelo State |
SR |
DEF |
Marketing |
Forney, Texas/Forney HS |
| Rachel Allen |
DBU |
SO |
DEF |
Management |
Waxahachie, Texas/Midlothian Heritage HS |
| Kinsie Mitchell |
Eastern New Mexico |
SR |
DEF |
Biology |
Red Oak, Texas/Red Oak HS |
| Madison Mayben |
Lubbock Christian |
JR |
DEF |
Biology |
San Angelo, Texas/Central HS |
| Nicole Marsolek |
Midwestern State |
SR |
DEF |
General Business |
Frisco, Texas/Reedy HS |
| Megan Copeland |
St. Mary's |
SR |
DEF |
Psychology |
San Antonio, Texas/Johnson HS |
| Andrea Castellanos |
Texas A&M International |
SO |
DEF |
Kinesiology |
Aguascalientes, Mexico/South Pasadena HS |
| Alyssa Valdez |
Texas Woman's |
SR |
DEF |
Business Admin. |
Dallas, Texas/Molina HS |
| Hayley Sawyer |
UT Permian Basin |
JR |
DEF |
Criminal Justice |
Midland, Texas/Greenwood HS |
| Emily Avila |
West Texas A&M |
SR |
DEF |
Accounting |
Albuquerque, N.M./Institute of Math and Science |
LSC Women's Soccer Goalkeepers to Watch
| Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Major |
Hometown/High School |
| Kira Miller |
Angelo State |
SR |
GK |
Exercise Science |
Frisco, Texas/Reedy HS |
| Adriana Schroeder |
DBU |
SR |
GK |
Kinesiology |
McKinney, Texas/Frisco Independence HS |
| Samantha Jefferies |
Eastern New Mexico |
JR |
GK |
Digital Filmmaking |
Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia Prep HS |
| Megan Mirabal |
Lubbock Christian |
SO |
GK |
Pre-Physical Therapy |
Keller, Texas/Central HS |
| Lauren Freeman |
Midwestern State |
SR |
GK |
Mechanical Engineering |
Cleburne, Texas/Joshua HS |
| Gabby Goddard |
Oklahoma Christian |
SR |
GK |
Nursing |
Tuttle, Okla./Tuttle HS |
| Rebecca DiFronzo |
St. Mary's |
SO |
GK |
Business |
Bari, Italy/Liceo Scientifico |
| Fabiana Solano |
Texas A&M International |
JR |
GK |
Kinesiology |
San Jose, Costa Rica/Saint Peter's HS |
| Morgan Sherman |
Texas Woman's |
SR |
GK |
Nursing |
Camarillo, Calif./La Reina |
| Jenna McEnaney |
UT Permian Basin |
JR |
GK |
Engineering |
Midland, Texas/Legacy HS |
| Reagan Heelan |
West Texas A&M |
SO |
GK |
Engineering |
Kearney, Neb./Kearney HS |