South Atlantic Conference press release

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Catawba was voted as the favorites in the 2024 South Atlantic Conference women’s soccer preseason coaches poll.

Catawba earned 119 points and nine of the 12 first-place votes by the league coaches.

Catawba placed a host of players on the All-SAC preseason teams. Former Salisbury High Lillie Rusher is a defender on the second team.

Catawba finished second in the conference a year ago with a 10-1 mark in SAC play and a 19-3-1 overall record. Catawba earned the No. 2 seed in the Southeast Region and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Lenoir-Rhyne.

The Bears are picked to finish second after sweeping the regular season and tournament crowns in 2023. LR hasn’t lost a SAC game since Oct. 30, 2021, a span of 23 games. The Bears advanced to the national quarterfinals last year before dropping a one-goal contest to Florida Tech.

Wingate is picked to finish third after finishing in that same spot a season ago. The Bulldogs were 10-2 in the conference and 14-4-2 while advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Wingate was the No. 6 seed but fell to North Georgia in PKs in the First Round of NCAA postseason play.

 Poll 1. Catawba (9) 119, 2. Lenoir-Rhyne (3) 109, Wingate 102, 4. Carson-Newman 87, 4. Anderson 87, 6. Lincoln Memorial 68, 7. Limestone 63, 8. Mars Hill 49, 9. Newberry 34, 10, Tusculum 32, 11. Coker 30, 12. Emory & Henry 12.

 Preseason All-Conference

First Team

F – Bree Ehmer, Catawba

F – Helen Summerell, Catawba

F – Sydney Grant, Tusculum

F – Kaitlyn Gregory, Anderson

MF – Evan O’Leary, Lenoir-Rhyne

MF – Manu Baptista Felipe, Wingate

MF – Maria Rayburn, Catawba

MF – Carola Busquets, Lenoir-Rhyne

D – Sascha Larsen, Wingate

D – Alexah Fite, Catawba

D – Meggie Powell, Anderson

D – Kylie Swanson, Anderson

GK – Camryn Miller, Mars Hill

Second Team

F – Lucie Bertrand, Limestone

F – Samantha Swinson, Mars Hill

F – Yasmin Cowley, Wingate

F – Leanna Guion, Anderson

MF – Emerson Talley, Lenoir-Rhyne

MF – Felicia Frick, Carson-Newman

MF – Camryn Woods, Anderson

MF – Katherine Ensalaco, Wingate

D – Lillie Rusher, Catawba

D – Kelly Havens, Catawba

D – Laura Holt, Wingate

D – Anna Schuller, Lenoir-Rhyne

GK – Bente Latenstein, Lincoln Memorial

Third Team

F – Kara Gavaghan, Lenoir-Rhyne

F – Morgan Delair, Catawba

F – Krista Nielsen, Carson-Newman

F – Anita Arnadottir, Carson-Newman

MF – Sophia Husted, Wingate

MF – Alba Delgado, Carson-Newman

MF – Selina Jud, Carson-Newman

MF – Sharon Mayes, Catawba

D – Kate Casey, Lenoir-Rhyne

D – Marja Enste, Tusculum

D – Carly Keuffer, Anderson

D – Brynn Stokes, Tusculum

GK – Haley Faucette, Wingate