UW-Whitewater Earns Women’s Soccer Preseason Nod
MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has been chosen to capture the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women’s soccer championship, based on a preseason poll conducted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
The Warhawks have won five of the last six regular-season conference titles and made five straight NCAA Division III championship appearances. UW-Whitewater, ranked No. 10 nationally in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) NCAA Division III Preseason Poll, welcomes back 10 starters from a season ago. Senior forward Brianna Reid leads the returnees after receiving WIAC Offensive Player of the Year honors the last two years. She also received All-America Second Team recognition from the NSCAA in 2015. The Warhawks won the WIAC tournament crown a season ago for the third time in four years.
UW-Whitewater is followed in the WIAC predictions by: UW-La Crosse; UW-Oshkosh; UW-Eau Claire; UW-River Falls; UW-Stout; UW-Stevens Point; and UW-Platteville. UW-La Crosse and UW-Oshkosh shared last year’s regular-season championship and are slotted for second and third, respectively, in the eight-team league race. The title for the Eagles was the second in program history – and first since 1996, while the Titans collected their first-ever regular-season crown.
Individuals from the conference receiving All-North Region honors from the NSCAA during the 2015 campaign included: UW-La Crosse senior defender Kourtni Alcock (first team) and sophomore midfielder Margaret Harings (third); UW-Oshkosh senior midfielder Robyn Elliott (second); and UW-Whitewater’s Reid (first), senior defender Carina Krausert (second) and senior midfielder Carly Pottle (third).
UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater received bids into the NCAA Division III championship a season ago, marking the first time in history three WIAC teams have participated in the event. The Warhawks reached the sectional final, marking the furthest advancement for a conference team since 2000.
2016 Preseason Predictions--Voted on by WIAC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors
|
2015 Record |
| 1. UW-Whitewater |
20-5 overall, 5-2 WIAC |
| 2. UW-La Crosse |
12-7-2, 5-1-1 |
| 3. UW-Oshkosh |
14-4-3, 5-1-1 |
| 4. UW-Eau Claire |
6-10-3, 4-3 |
| 5. UW-River Falls |
9-8-2, 3-3-1 |
| 6. UW-Stout |
8-8-3, 2-4-1 |
| 7. UW-Stevens Point |
4-15, 2-5 |
| 8. UW-Platteville |
3-13, 0-7 |
Team Nuggets
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach: Sean Yengo; 20th season at UWEC; 234-123-38
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 16/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 9/2
Returning All-WIAC: Caroline Henderson, Sr., F (2014-First)
Notable Returning Players: Eva Charlesworth-Seiler, So., D; Jocelyn Etten, Sr., M; Lauren Lenz, Jr., M; Brenna Sullivan, So., D
UW-La Crosse
Head Coach: Jason Murphy; 7th season (3rd at UWL); 58-48-10 (overall) / 17-15-7 (at UWL)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 19/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 9/2
Returning All-WIAC: Kourtni Alcock, Sr., D (2015-First); Nicole Blaser, Jr., D (2014-First); Kennedy Brault, So., GK (2015-First); Alex Cording, So., F (2015-First); Margaret Harings, So., M (2015-First)
Notable Returning Players: Megan Carroll, So., D; Cassie Handrick, So., F; Natalie Herzog, So., F; Maggie Edmark, Jr., F
UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach: Erin Coppernoll; 17th season (13th at UWO); 158-129-28 (overall) / 134-84-25 (at UWO)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 16/13
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/7
Returning All-WIAC: Rachel Elliott, Sr., F (2014-First); Robyn Elliott, Sr., M (2013-First, 2014-First, 2015-First)
Notable Returning Players: Alyssa Arnold, Sr., M; Alek Kleis, So., F; Megan Paulick, Jr., F; Ally Vandenberg, Jr., D
UW-Platteville
Head Coach: Allison Sanyi; 6th season at UWP; 35-53-2
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 21/8
Starters Returning/Lost: 8/3
Returning All-WIAC: Julie Divita, Sr., F (2014-First); Yamilex Jaramillo, Sr., F (2015-First); Emily Phillips, Sr., D (2014-First)
Notable Returning Players: Alex Goff, Sr., M; Bianca Mahoney, Jr., M; Morgan Phillips, So., D
UW-River Falls
Head Coach: Sean McKuras; 15th season at UWRF; 132-116-24
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 14/9
Starters Returning/Lost: 7/4
Returning All-WIAC: Carrie Anderson, Jr., M (2015-First); Maggie Koehler, So., F (2015-First); Abby Soderholm, Jr., M (2014-First, 2015-First)
Notable Returning Players: Maddie Bleick, Jr., D; Erica Cimochowski, Sr., GK; Kenzie Weisman, Sr., D; Kayla Windingstad, Jr., F
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach: Dawn Crow; 2nd season at UWSP (4th overall); 13-39-4 (overall) / 4-15 (at UWSP)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 5/18
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/8
Returning All-WIAC: None
Notable Returning Players: Elise Thuot, So., D
UW-Stout
Head Coach: Ryan Raufus; 6th season at UWST; 38-42-11
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 16/10
Starters Returning/Lost: 6/5
Returning All-WIAC: None
Notable Returning Players: Kelly Conn, Sr., M/F; Sydney Kasper, So., F; Nikki Sedivy, Jr., D; Sara Todey, Sr., F
UW-Whitewater
Head Coach: Ryan Quamme; 5th season at UWW; 71-15-5
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 16/17
Starters Returning/Lost: 10/1
Returning All-WIAC: Carina Krausert, Sr., D (2015-First); Marie Lesperance, Jr., M (2015-First); Carly Pottle, Sr., M (2014-First, 2015-First); Brianna Reid, Sr., F (2013-First, 2014-First/Offensive Player of the Year, 2015-First/Offensive Player of the Year); Mackenzie Serbousek, So., M (2015-First)
Notable Returning Players: Morgan Beaty, Jr., F; Payton DeLuga, So., D; Erin Doody, So., GK; Adria Schueler, So., D
# # # # #