[Release from Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference]
Mount Mary University was selected seventh in the 2021 Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, announced Friday. The poll, conducted by the eight head coaches around the league, landed MMU tied with Mills for that seventh position with 12 points apiece.
Christopher Newport was voted the league favorites entering this 2021 campaign, collecting 46 points and four first-place votes to lead the rankings. Defendint CAC Champion Salisbury earned one first-place vote and 38 points to finish second, while UC Santa Cruz received 37 points and two first-place tallies to sit third in the rankings. Mary Washington garnered the final first-place vote along with 34 points to sit fourth.
Finlandia is positioned fifth after receiving 27 points with Pratt next in sixth place with 18 points, ahead of both Mount Mary and Mills' 12.
The 2021 season kicks off the first week of September with the C2C Women's Soccer Championship, a 6-team tournament, hosted by Salisbury University in Maryland, Va., on November 4, 5 & 6.
Below is a brief preview of each team entering the 2021 season:
#1 Christopher Newport: Taking the pitch for the first time under head coach Jamie Gunderson, the Captains will do so as one of the nation's top teams. Christopher Newport women's soccer is ranked No. 16 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25 and sets out to continue a four-year run in the NCAA Tournament. Expected to lead the charge is All-American forward Riley Cook, the all-time leading scorer in conference history. In just three seasons, Cook has compiled 145 points on 66 career goals and 13 assists. In addition to the dangerous Captain Cook, the dominant offense will also return Emily Talotta (18 pts) and Molly Beegle (12 pts) to lead the way. Fifth-year senior goalkeeper Haley Eiser is also back after the All-Region netminder has posted a 0.62 goals-against average for her career in 45 games played.
#2 Salisbury: Salisbury returns four all-conference players from the 2019 season that saw the Sea Gulls finish the year with a 13-3-3 overall record and a 9-0-1 mark in conference. The defense will be highlighted by All-CAC First Team goalkeeper Emma Hill who led the conference in goals against (10), goals-against average (0.53), and shutouts (8) in 2019. Junior forward Autumn Dougherty and junior midfielder Kasey Lamb look to build off their successful freshman seasons that saw them earn All-CAC First Team and CAC Rookie of the Year honors respectively. The Sea Gulls also return a strong senior class, including two-time all-conference midfielder Ally Goetz, that will play key roles as they look to lead the team back to the top again in 2021.
#3 UC Santa Cruz: Eleven upperclassmen return from the 2019 team that won the ACAA Championship and made the NCAA Tournament. Juniors Karina Bulli (10 goals, 4 assists) and Julia Hernandez (5 goals, 7 assists) are poised to lead the offense. Alyssa Diaz-Tucker (54 saves /11 shutouts) provides a veteran presence for the Banana Slugs between the goalposts.
#4 Mary Washington: Coming off a late season surge that led them to a conference championship and a victory in the NCAA Tournament in 2019, head coach Scott Gereseny will look to repeat and exceed those accomplishments with a young team that will gain valuable experience from returning standouts Abby Zimmerman, Gracie Williams, and Katherine Brady, as well as all-conference performers Amanda Krest and Olivia Severin. Three upperclass goalkeepers will vye for leadership from the back.
#5 Finlandia: After a year away, the Finlandia University women's soccer team looks to carry over its recent success. FinnU went 22-10-2 in 2018 and 19, qualifying for the ACAA Tournament both years. The Lions have three of their top four scorers in 2019 back. Seniors Addie Budzinski and Daisia Knowles were All-ACAA first team selections.
#6 Pratt: The Pratt Institute's women's soccer program ill be led by first year head coach Tara Heatley. In its last season in 2019, the Cannoneers qualified for the ACAA Conference Tournament for the first time in program history. Pratt will be returning seven started from the 2019 team while adding 13 newcomers that will look to contribute right away.
#7-tie Mills: Nine student-athletes are returning this season, and the Cyclones are excited to have a strong team foundation to build on this year. Four of those nine returners are seniors Ariana Arellano (forward), Skye Snyder (forward), Zoe McKenzie (defender), and Anais Uriarte (keeper). All four have been a part of head coach Lilia Dosalmas' program for four years and bring experience, leadership, and grit to the field. Two notable transfers, Lex Maldonado and Sydney Guinto, are joining the Cyclones' midfield.
#7-tie Mount Mary: Mount Mary University last took the pitch in 2019, having been idle for the entirety of 2020-21. The Blue Angels went 3-15 that season, scoring victories over Eureka College (Ill.), Andrews University (Mich.), and Lincoln Christian University (Ill.). The Blue Angels return just 40 percent of its offense from that 2019 campaign, all coming in the form of Nyasia Hardy. Hardy led the team with eight total points off three goals and two assists. Alongside Hardy, this year's new-look Blue Angels will feature 11 newcomers as fourth-year head coach John Baillie looks to build the program around a strong group of first-year players.
