Newport News, Va. – With women's soccer season opening on Friday, the Atlantic 10 Conference released its preseason coaches' poll and preseason All-Conference team, with Fordham being picked to finish seventh.
For the ninth consecutive year, the Dayton women's soccer team has been chosen as the Atlantic 10 Conference preseason favorite in a vote conducted by the league's 14 head coaches.
The defending conference champions earned 179 votes and nine first-place votes to take the top spot in the rankings. Saint Louis ranked second in the predicted order of finish with 172 points and four first-place votes, followed by Saint Joseph's, who nabbed one top vote, rounding out the top three with 164 points.
George Washington was tabbed fourth, followed by Duquesne, George Mason, Fordham, Richmond, VCU, La Salle, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Davidson, and St. Bonaventure.
The league's head coaches also voted for an 11-member Preseason All-Conference Team. Dayton, George Washington, Duquesne, and Saint Joseph's each had two players selected, while Richmond, Saint Louis, and La Salle each had one selection.
The top eight teams will compete in the 2017 Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship, with a new championship format. The opening rounds will be held on the campus of the higher seeds on Oct. 28 and 29. The top four teams will then advance to play at VCU's Sports Backers Field in the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 3. The championship finale will be held on Sunday, Nov. 5 with the winner earning the A-10's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Fordham opens its regular season on Friday, August 18
th, against Nevada.
| Rank |
Team |
Points (1st Place Votes) |
| 1. |
Dayton |
179 (9) |
| 2. |
Saint Louis |
172 (4) |
| 3. |
Saint Joseph's |
164 (1) |
| 4. |
George Washington |
145 |
| 5. |
Duquesne |
136 |
| 6. |
George Mason |
132 |
| 7. |
Fordham |
115 |
| 8. |
Richmond |
92 |
| 9. |
VCU |
90 |
| 10. |
La Salle |
88 |
| 11. |
Rhode Island |
59 |
| 12. |
Massachusetts |
48 |
| 13. |
Davidson |
31 |
| 14. |
St. Bonaventure |
19 |
2017 Preseason Atlantic 10 All-Conference Team
Alexis Kiehl, Dayton, F
Lexi Prillaman, Richmond, F
Dakota Mills, Saint Joseph's, F
Linnea Faccenda, Duquesne, MF
Sofia Pavon, George Washington, MF
Maddie Pokorny, Saint Louis, MF
Nadia Pestell, Dayton, D
Casey Aunkst, Duquesne, D
Paige McDowell, La Salle, D
Paige Bergman, Saint Joseph's, D
Miranda Horn, George Washington, GK
