The Southwestern University women's soccer team was selected second in the 2019 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference(SCAC) preseason coaches polls after finishing the previous season with an 11-6-0 record and seeing head coach Linda Hamilton take the 2018 Head Coach of the Year for women's soccer.

Southwestern University received 68 points and will be returning two First Team All-SCAC selections from a year ago, senior defender Romie Reyna and senior goalkeeper Mary Cardone.

Trinity University was picked first in the SCAC coaches poll (17-2-1; 13-0 SCAC) followed by Texas Lutheran University (8-5-4; 7-4-2) and Centenary College (9-6; 6-5) received 59 and 53 points to slot at third and fourth, respectively. The next three teams in the coaches' predicted order of balloting finished with seven points of each other with SCAC newcomer University of St. Thomas (Texas) (12-3-1; 10-0-1 RRAC), Johnson & Wales University (Denver) (6-8-1; 5-7-1) and University of Dallas (3-11-4; 2-8-2) slotted to finish fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. St. Thomas received 39 points, which included a couple of second-place nods, while Johnson & Wales compiled 35 points and Dallas 32. Rounding out the coaches' preseason poll, Schreiner University (5-10-3; 3-8-2) was picked eighth with 26 points and Austin College (0-13-1; 0-9-1) was ninth with 12 points.

St. Thomas, Johnson & Wales and Schreiner all welcome new head coaches this year, even though one of those new hires is a familiar face to SCAC fans. After six seasons at Schreiner, which included SCAC Coach-of-the-Year selections in 2014 and 2015, Nick Morrison takes over the UST program as it begins its transition to NCAA Division III. Taking over for Morrison at Schreiner is Alyssa Taramona, who was an assistant at St. Mary's (Texas) prior to her appointment with the Mountaineers. Rounding out this year's new hires is Ria Denny at JWU Denver. Shespent the last three seasons as the associate head coach at JWU North Miami. 

Women's soccer will open its season on Friday, August 30 at 6:00 p.m. against the Sul Ross State Lobos. To read the full SCAC Preseason Poll press release, click here.