SUWANEE, Ga. - In exclusive voting by the league’s head coaches, Trinity University was selected to repeat as Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference women’s soccer champions.
Following its second-straight and 10th SCAC Tournament Title in the last 11 years last season, the Tigers received seven of a possible eight first-place votes to earn 63 points in the preseason balloting. Trinity, which lead the SCAC with 25 women’s titles, trails only the Tiger men’s tennis program (26) for the most conference crowns all-time in league history.
The preseason 16th-ranked Tigers (15-3-2 overall; 6-1-0 SCAC) return six All-SCAC players from a squad that advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament a year ago before falling 1-0 to the eventual national champions, Christopher Newport University. Headlining the returning all-conference performers is reigning SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year, senior Bailey Meyer. Meyer is joined by a pair of juniors in Second Team performer Ashlyn Zingelmann and Honorable Mention honoree Reese Wallace, who together will anchor the Tiger defense. Last season, Trinity posted 11 shutouts and an impressive 0.78 goals-against-average. Offensively, senior Molly Sheridan returns after a breakout year in which she finished second in the SCAC with 12 goals, 10 assists and 34 total points to earn First Team accolades. Second Team honoree senior Cassie Bowers and Honorable Mention performer junior Kyra Stafford join Sheridan to lead a Tiger offense that led the SCAC in goals scored (66) for the 17th-straight season last year. The trio combined for 17 goals, 17 assists and 51 total points.
Trinity once again enters competition this fall under the guidance of head coach, Dylan Harrison. In six seasons at the helm of the Tigers’ program, Harrison has posted a record of 101-12-4 (.880), including an impressive 61-1-0 mark in league play and five appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Southwestern University (15-2-1; 6-0-1) is coming off its first unbeaten conference regular season and first SCAC Regular Season crown in program history. The Pirates received the remaining first-place and finished second in the SCAC preseason poll with 57 total points. Reigning SCAC Coach-of-the-Year and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, Linda Hamilton returns seven All-SCAC performers from last year’s SCAC Tournament runner-up squad, led by Newcomer-of-the-Year Samantha Hazen. Hazen exploded onto the scene last year, finishing third in the SCAC in goals (nine), assists (eight) and points (26). She wasn’t alone in terms of youth production as Southwestern saw six underclassmen make 14 or more starts last year, including two more First Team All-SCAC honorees in junior goalkeeper Johnna Campbell and sophomore midfielder Breana Trevino. Campbell finished first in the SCAC in minutes played (1,649:42), wins (14) and shutouts (10), second in saves (68) and third in both goals-against-average (0.76) and save percentage (.829). Campbell, along with the steady midfield presence of Trevino, look to continue the success on the defensive side of the ball for a program that has posted a remarkable 37 shutouts over the last four seasons. Offensively, in addition to Hazen, senior forward Juliet Pridgen returns following a Second Team All-SCAC performance last season when she finished with 13 points on five goals and three assists.
University of Dallas (9-6-1; 4-2-1) received 47 points in the preseason balloting and was the coaches’ third selection. Each of the past four seasons head coach Lexi Stinson has led her Crusaders to the SCAC Tournament semifinals, which included a finals appearance during the 2020-21 season. Dallas welcomes back four all-conference athletes from last season, led by a duo of First Team honorees in senior forward Alyssa Mencacci and sophomore midfielder Claire Reed. Reed paced Dallas with 14 points as a first-year on four goals and six assists. Mencacci, a two-time First Team performer, added two goals and one assist during her junior season. Also returning to bolster the Crusader offense is Second Team All-SCAC forward Avery Seaman, who led Dallas with five goals last year during her sophomore campaign.
Texas Lutheran University (6-11-0; 3-4-0) and University of St. Thomas (2-9-4; 1-3-3) received 36 and 32 points to slot fourth and fifth, respectively, in the preseason balloting.
The Bulldogs welcome in a new era this season as Kerwin Johnson takes over the program after Larry Schaffer retired following the 2021 campaign. Coach Johnson has added 11 new players to the 2022 roster and welcomes back four All-SCAC performers from a year ago in Second Team midfielder senior Lilana Avila and Honorable Mention honorees senior forward Samantha Martinez, junior defender Kelly Wolfe and sophomore goalkeeper Charleigh Phipps. Martinez led the Bulldogs with three goals, five assists and 11 points last year. Phipps made 13 starts in net as a first year and finished in the top five in the SCAC in goals-against-average (1.15 – 4th), save percentage (.786 – 4th) and goals against (15 – 5th).
The Celts return all four of their All-SCAC standouts from a year ago, highlighted by a pair of Second Team performers in seniors Karson Funderburk and Mary Pham. Funderburk paced St. Thomas with two goals and four assists for a total of eight points during her junior season. Head coach Nick Morrison and the Celts are looking to return to the SCAC Tournament after making their first appearance in program history during the shortened 2020-21 season.
Centenary College (4-10-2; 2-3-2) received 26 points to place sixth in the preseason balloting. The Ladies and head coach Morgan Dorsey welcome back the top four scorers from last season in terms of points, led by senior Gabby McDonald who finished the year with three goals and one assist for a total of seven points. Centenary also returns both its all-conference standouts from a season ago in Second Team midfielder Celeste Muniz and Honorable Mention forward Sydney Bascomb.
Rounding out the coaches’ preseason poll, Schreiner University (0-13-3; 0-4-3) was picked seventh with 15 points and Austin College (1-12-2; 0-5-2) was eighth with 12 points. Both programs welcome in new head coaches this season as Melanie Chandler was hired to guide the Mountaineers, and Kevin Gregory takes over the reins for the ‘Roos.
The SCAC women’s soccer season begins on Thursday, September 1, with several teams competing in early season tournament competition over Labor Day weekend. The first conference matches of the season are scheduled for Friday, September 23. The 2022 SCAC Women’s Soccer Tournament will be held in November on the campus of the Trinity University as semifinal matches will be contested on Friday the 4th and the championship match being played on Sunday the 6th.
| 2022 SCAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll (first-place votes in parentheses, followed by total points) |
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| 1. | Trinity University (7) | 63 |
| 2. | Southwestern University (1) | 57 |
| 3. | University of Dallas | 47 |
| 4. | Texas Lutheran University | 36 |
| 5. | University of St. Thomas | 32 |
| 6. | Centenary College | 26 |
| 7. | Schreiner University | 15 |
| 8. | Austin College | 12 |
