BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Concord University women's soccer team has been voted to finish third in the Mountain East Conference South Division Preseason Coaches' Poll after the preseason rankings were unveiled Thursday afternoon.
THE POLL
| Place |
Team (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
Charleston (8) |
57 |
| 2. |
West Virginia State (1) |
49 |
| 3. |
Concord (2) |
45 |
| 4. |
Glenville State |
34 |
| 5. |
West Virginia Wesleyan |
21 |
| 6. |
Davis & Elkins |
19 |
2023 REVIEW
CU finished the season 12-7-2 and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the third time in the last five seasons. Six of the seven losses for the Mountain Lions came to teams that also qualified for the national postseason, including a 2-1 loss to Kutztown in the regular season, and a 3-2 defeat to KU in the NCAA Tournament's First Round. The Maroon and Gray had their most success at home last fall by going 8-1.
2024 SCHEDULE
This fall's slate remains challenging as Concord faces four NCAA Tournament teams, including a pair of nationally-ranked teams to open the season. In a rematch of the NCAA Tournament, CU travels to 25
th-ranked Kutzotwn September 5 before facing fifth-ranked Gannon two days later. The conference opener is September 15 at West Virginia Wesleyan, and a week later the Mountain Lions welcome Davis & Elkins for an MEC matchup in the first home game in Athens since 2019. Charleston visits Callaghan Stadium September 25. MEC North favorite Frostburg State travels to CU October 13. The final two games of the season are at Charleston (November 3) and versus Glenville State (November 6).
THE RETURNERS
2023 All-Atlantic Region performer and 71-game starter
Olivia Bekeleski is back for her fifth and final year to anchor the CU defense. Other All-MEC performers from a season ago include sophomore defender
Lotte Fasen (second team), senior defender
Emma Ring (honorable mention) and senior defender
Olivia Shollenberger. Senior forward
Sydney Tucker had a breakout season as a junior as she led the team with 12 goals and finished top five in the MEC in scoring. Fellow senior forward
Nora Voisey was second in the conference in assists with eight. Senior midfielder
Leah Fleming has appeared in 55 games in her career, and has started 30 contests over the last two years. Junior forward
Caitlin Webster provided five goals last season after transferring in from Division I UT-Rio Grand Valley. Though splitting time in goal, junior
Sarah Pattillo started 10 games last fall as a transfer from Southeast Missouri State.
THE NEWCOMERS
Ninth-year head coach
Luke Duffy, who is the second-most tenured coach in the MEC behind Frostburg State's Brian Parker, brought in 28 new faces with 26 being freshmen along with two transfers. One of those transfers is former Gannon midfielder
Holly Gray (Gold Coast, Australia) who appeared in 38 games over two seasons in Erie, Pennsylvania. Some freshmen who will factor into the lineup for the Mountain Lions are
Tiana Campbell (Plymouth, England),
Lisa Faber-Andersson (Enkoping, Sweden),
Taryn Kelly (Allendale, Mich.),
Maddie Loughborough (Bath, England)
Lilly Lucas (Hurricane, W.Va.),
Ella Rowell (Durham, England),
Marika Svensson (Jaegerspris, Denmark) and
Alisa Swinburne (Berwick Upon Tweed, England).
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