NKyTribune staff
Milwaukee has been voted the women’s soccer preseason favorite in the Horizon League coaches’ poll.
Northern Kentucky University is fourth in the preseason poll.
Milwaukee topped the poll with 87 points, including five first-place votes. The Panthers return reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kelli Swenson along with first team all-league honoree Lourdes Onwuemeka.
Defending Horizon League champion IUPUI followed in second place in the preseason poll with 80 points and three first-place votes. The Jaguars will look to win back-to-back titles with the return of last season’s Goalkeeper of the Year Sophia Lipka and a trio of All-Freshman Team selections in Valentine Pursey, Natalie McNally and Miranda Ricks.
Wright State was ranked third with 72 points, followed closely by NKU with 69 points and both teams earned a first-place vote. Wright State welcomes back a pair of senior all-league second team performers on the field this season in Aaliyah Patten and Mattie Cutts, while NKU returns senior defender and all-league second team performer Taylor Spaulding.
Cleveland State was only three points away from being in the top four, coming in with 66 points. Illinois-Chicago is in sixth place with 57 points, followed by Oakland with 40 points, Detroit Mercy with 37 points, Youngstown State with 24 points and Green Bay with 18 points.
NKU — which captured the Horizon League championship two years ago and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament — welcomes back 17 returning players from last season’s 9-6-2 team. The Norse finished second in the Horizon League regular-season standings with a 6-1-2 record and were knocked out by IUPUI in the tournament semifinals.
The Norse must replace three-time Horizon League Player of the Year Macy Hamblin (10 goals, four assists) as well as offensive standout Jessica Frey (11 goals, four assists) from last season. Among the returnees are Emily Soltes (two goals, three assists) and Ally Perkins (two goals, five assists).
Bob Sheehan, the only head coach in NKU women’s soccer history, owns an all-time record of 306-100-28 (.737). Sheehan led the Norse to the NCAA Division II national semifinals in 1999, and NKU finished as national runner up the next season, dropping a last-second 2-1 decision to UC San Diego in the championship game.
NKU begins the regular season Friday with a home contest against Indiana State at 7 p.m.
2018 Horizon League women’s soccer preseason poll
Pl. Team – Points (First-Place Votes)
1. Milwaukee – 87 (5)
2. IUPUI – 80 (3)
3. Wright State – 72 (1)
4. Northern Kentucky – 69 (1)
5. Cleveland State – 66
6. UIC – 57
7. Oakland – 40
8. Detroit Mercy – 37
9. Youngstown State – 24
10. Green Bay – 18
(Compiled from staff reports and the Horizon League)
