ATLANTA – The Piedmont women’s soccer team was picked to finish third in the Collegiate Conference of the South Preseason Coaches Poll, released Tuesday afternoon.
Maryville, which won the CCS Regular Season and Tournament Championship in 2023, was picked to repeat with six of the nine first-place votes and 63 total points.
The Lions finished the 2023 in fourth place with a 5-2-1 conference record. Piedmont rallied from a second half deficit to defeat LaGrange at home in the CCS Tournament First Round before falling at Maryville in the semifinals.
Piedmont trails Belhaven, which was picked to finish second with 52 points and one first-place vote. The Lions took home 49 points while Covenant was right on their heels in fourth with 48 points and the final first-place vote.
Rounding out the listing are Huntingdon (33), newcomer to the league Asbury (28), LaGrange (26), Agnes Scott (15) and Wesleyan (10).
This season, the Lady Lions return their top two goal scorers in juniors Sierra Judson and Paige Kluba.
Senior Haylee Dornan will enter her third straight season as the projected starter in goal. Dornan captured the 2022 CCS Tournament MVP after not allowing a single goal in Piedmont’s championship run.
Piedmont is scheduled to open its 2024 season this Sunday, September 1 at Virginia Wesleyan at 4 p.m.
The road to the title will culminate in the 2024 CCS Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament, featuring the top six teams, beginning on Saturday, November 2, with the championship match set for Saturday, November 9.
2024 CCS WOMEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
- Maryville – 63 points (7)
- Belhaven – 52 points (1)
- Piedmont – 49 points
- Covenant – 48 points (1)
- Huntingdon – 33 points
- Asbury – 28 points
- LaGrange – 26 points
- Agnes Scott – 15 points
- Wesleyan – 10 points
