By Kyle Krajewski
Sports Editor
With four first-place votes, the KU women’s soccer team was voted third in this year’s PSAC preseason poll, which is voted on by conference coaches.
This is KU’s ninth consecutive year being ranked in the top five, as well as the team’s second straight season being ranked in the top three.
West Chester University is picked as the conference favorite heading into the season for the fourth consecutive season. Reigning PSAC champion East Stroudsburg University ranks second in the poll, receiving six first-place votes. Gannon University and Slippery Rock University round out the top-five in the ranks.
The 2017 season had a lot of highs for the Golden Bears that they hope will continue into their 2018 campaign. Completing 2017 with a record of 16-4-1, they tied the record for most wins in program history. They also started the season with 13 straight wins, a school record, as well as leading the league in scoring.
Emily Zwiercan, a junior, is the reigning PSAC Player of the Year and returns as KU’s leading scorer. Her 15 career assists also rank fourth all-time in program history, which is a category we can expect to see her climb as the season progresses. Zwiercan was also awarded the Atlantic Region Player of the Year and the D2CCA All-America Third Team.
Maddie Mohr, a junior and another returning All-American, has 25 career goals, which ranks her seventh in program history. Mohr was voted First Team All-America by the NSCAA, making her the first First Team selection in KU history. She also joined Zwiercan on the D2CCA All-America Third Team, as well as being a First Team All-PSAC member and on the All-Atlantic Region First Team.
Kristina Miller, a junior defender, also returns to hold down the defensive side of the field. She leads a defense that allowed only 14 goals throughout the entire 2017 season, tied for first in KU history.
