SAN FRANCISCO - The University of Utah soccer team has been picked to finish ninth in the Pac-12 Conference this season, according to a preseason poll of the league's coaches released today.
The Utes return seven starters from last year's squad including All-Pac-12 performers Paola van der
Veen, Hailey
Skolmoski and
Tavia Leachman. Utah has 16 players back that saw action last season and adds 12 newcomers to the roster.
The league's coaches picked Stanford to win the Pac-12 women's soccer crown and UCLA to finish second. The Cardinal played the Bruins in the 2017 national championship game and the two teams are ranked first and second respectively in the national polls to open the season. USC, a year removed from its own national title, is ranked No. 12 nationally and slotted third in the Pac-12
California, Colorado and Arizona, all receiving votes in the preseason national rankings, round out the top half of the conference's prognostications. Washington State, picked seventh by the coaches, ranks No. 21 nationally in the preseason polls.
You can catch Utah in action this Friday when it welcomes Idaho for an exhibition game at 7 p.m. The regular season opens the following Friday vs. Minnesota at 7 p.m. The first Pac-12 game at Ute field is Thursday, October 4 vs. Washington at 7 p.m.
For season tickets and your free supporter scarf, please visit
https://utahtickets.com/soccer
Pac-12 Women's Soccer Coaches Poll
| 1. |
Stanford (11) |
121 |
| 2. |
UCLA (1) |
109 |
| 3. |
USC |
98 |
| 4. |
California |
90 |
| 5. |
Colorado |
74 |
| 6. |
Arizona |
67 |
| 7. |
Washington State |
66 |
| 8. |
Washington |
58 |
| 9. |
Utah |
34 |
| 10. |
Oregon |
33 |
| 11. |
Arizona State |
25 |
| 12. |
Oregon State |
17 |