AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward's women's soccer was selected to finish eighth in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, voted on by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and selected media members.
Defending conference champion DBU was selected as the preseason favorite to capture another LSC championship.
The Hilltoppers are coming off a 7-10-3 season, including a 6-6-2 conference record. St. Edward's advanced through the opening round of the LSC Tournament by defeating Lubbock Christian on penalty kicks before ending its season in the quarterfinals.
Nuno Gourgel enters his first season leading the program after being named head coach in April. Gourgel inherited a roster featuring
ANNIE ROCHA, St. Edward's Offensive Player to Watch, and
TESS DABNEY, the Hilltoppers' Defensive Player to Watch.
Rocha scored seven goals and added an assist for 15 points last season despite missing eight matches due to injury. She started 10 of her 12 appearances, led the Hilltoppers with 49 shots and scored one game-winning goal. Rocha recorded a first-half hat trick against North Greenville to earn LSC Offensive Player of the Week honors before returning from injury during the conference tournament and delivering the opening goal and deciding penalty kick in the victory over Lubbock Christian.
The Austin native enters her third season with 17 goals, two assists and 36 points through her first 30 collegiate matches. Rocha was the 2024 LSC Freshman of the Year and earned All-LSC First Team and All-Region Second Team honors following her debut season.
Dabney appeared in 18 matches with 12 starts last season, logging 1,274 minutes along the Hilltoppers' back line. She started 10 of the team's 14 conference matches and contributed an assist.
DBU's McKenna Vela was named the LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The conference also selected Tufts as its Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and Angelo State goalkeeper Melyna Martinez as the Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year.
St. Edward's opens the season at home against Southwestern Oklahoma State on Sunday, Aug. 30. The Hilltoppers begin conference play at home against Texas Woman's on Saturday, Sept. 12.
