OKLAHOMA CITY – The Sooner Athletic Conference announced its 2024 women's soccer preseason poll on Wednesday as Mid-America Christian was picked to finish third in the initial ranking voted upon by the league's 10 head coaches.
Last season, the Evangels put together one of their best campaigns since joining the SAC and the NAIA in 2007 as MACU went 15-4-2 overall while finishing fourth in the league standings with a 6-1-2 league mark.
Overall, MACU received 65 points in the preseason ranking, finishing just three points back of Science & Arts for second while John Brown was tabbed as the preseason favorite with 81 points and nine of the 10 first-place tallies.
Oklahoma City placed fourth in the voting with 57 points while Nelson rounded out the top five with 50 points.
The 15 wins notched by MACU during the 2023 season was the second-most the Evangels have in a single campaign in program history and wrapped up the year with a dominant 5-1 win over Redeemer (Canada) at the NCCAA National Championships in Kissimmee, Florida on Nov. 29.
The Evangels were the only team in the SAC that were not defeated by SAC Champion John Brown during the regular season as MACU battled the No. 10 Golden Eagles to a 0-0 draw in Siloam Springs, Arkansas on Oct. 21.
Last year, MACU put together one of its best seasons offensively, scoring the fourth-most goals (56), the second-most assists (48) and the fourth-most total points (160) while defensively posting the third-best goals allowed average (0.87).
In the attack, the Evangels return three of their top four goal scorers last season, including SAC Newcomer of the Year junior forward Gladis Avalos (7) along with sophomore forward Madison Chavez (6), graduate student forward Annika Gerdau (6) and graduate student midfielder and team captain Francesca Martella (5).
MACU will also be strong on the backside with the return of All-SAC First Team junior defender junior center-back and team captain Cammy Hargrove as well as All-SAC First Team goalkeeper senior Rachel Torres while senior defender Dani Duke and junior midfielder Jasie Eischen will also be key contributors to stop the opposing attack.
"I think we have a very strong returning group that should provide some great leadership for our team this year," stated fourth-year head coach Anthony Yousey. "On-top of that, we've added some very good options up-front with Stephanie Arrivillaga and Guadalupe Amicone joining the squad this year."
Amicone is one of two Lincoln Trail College transfers along with Zoe Angot that is joining the Evangels after a highly successful career with the Lady Statesmen. In her two years at LTC, Amicone scored 19 goals and dished out 13 assists for 51 points, earning the NJCAA Region 24 Co-Player of the Year last season. Arrivillaga is a promising freshman who competed for the Guatemala U15 and U17 National Teams.
Mid-America Christian will officially kick-off its regular season at home on Thursday, Aug. 29 as the Evangels host LSU Shreveport for a 5 p.m. kickoff at the Dill Soccer Field.
