Photo by: Craig Bisacre
Aggies Ranked No. 9 in United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll
Aug 04, 2021 | Soccer
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies were selected No. 9 in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women's Preseason Rankings, the organization announced Wednesday.
Texas A&M polled first among SEC schools and is one of five league teams in the preseason top 25. The Aggies were joined by Arkansas (No. 13), South Carolina (No. 17), Vanderbilt (No. 18) and Ole Miss (No. 23).
Florida State garnered the top spot, followed by Santa Clara, North Carolina, Virginia and UCLA. The top 10 was rounded out by Duke, Clemson, TCU, Texas A&M and Penn State.
The Aggies face three of the teams featured in the preseason top 10 to start the season, including slate-opening road trips to No. 1 Florida State and No. 8 TCU and an Ellis Field lid-lifter against No. 7 Clemson. The Maroon & White face seven foes in the top 25.
Texas A&M boasts a returning All-American in Karlina Sample and two All-Southeast Region performers in Sample and Barbara Olivieri. Other key players among the 19 returnees are defenders Katie Smith (1,560) and Macie Kolb (1,549) who paced the team in minutes played in 2020-21.
The Aggies enjoyed a successful 2020-21 campaign, logging a 7-1-0 mark in league play to earn a share of their third SEC regular-season Championship in the fall. With two All-Americans, Lopez and McCain, leaving the roster in January to pursue professional playing careers, the Maroon & White battled in the spring to earn their 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid and advanced to the Elite Eight for the seventh time in program history.
The Maroon & White unofficially start their season Wednesday, August 11 with a road exhibition match at North Texas. They also play a home exhibition match against the Baylor Bears on Sunday, August 15 at Ellis Field.
Texas A&M polled first among SEC schools and is one of five league teams in the preseason top 25. The Aggies were joined by Arkansas (No. 13), South Carolina (No. 17), Vanderbilt (No. 18) and Ole Miss (No. 23).
Florida State garnered the top spot, followed by Santa Clara, North Carolina, Virginia and UCLA. The top 10 was rounded out by Duke, Clemson, TCU, Texas A&M and Penn State.
The Aggies face three of the teams featured in the preseason top 10 to start the season, including slate-opening road trips to No. 1 Florida State and No. 8 TCU and an Ellis Field lid-lifter against No. 7 Clemson. The Maroon & White face seven foes in the top 25.
Texas A&M boasts a returning All-American in Karlina Sample and two All-Southeast Region performers in Sample and Barbara Olivieri. Other key players among the 19 returnees are defenders Katie Smith (1,560) and Macie Kolb (1,549) who paced the team in minutes played in 2020-21.
The Aggies enjoyed a successful 2020-21 campaign, logging a 7-1-0 mark in league play to earn a share of their third SEC regular-season Championship in the fall. With two All-Americans, Lopez and McCain, leaving the roster in January to pursue professional playing careers, the Maroon & White battled in the spring to earn their 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid and advanced to the Elite Eight for the seventh time in program history.
The Maroon & White unofficially start their season Wednesday, August 11 with a road exhibition match at North Texas. They also play a home exhibition match against the Baylor Bears on Sunday, August 15 at Ellis Field.