The University of
Wyoming women's soccer team was picked fourth in the preseason Mountain West
Coaches' Poll, the conference announced Wednesday.
“Obviously it’s great
to be picked in the top few teams, but at the end of the day you still have to
go out and win games,” head coach Pete Cuadrado said. “Preseason polls are what
they are, and if you look back at years past, they never match up with the
final standings. So we know we have a job to do going forward, and right now
it’s to win games and prepare for the next game. If we take care of our
business we think we have a chance at this, so that’s our goal and that’s what
we’re focused on right now.”
Defending MW
regular-season champion San Diego State was picked to finish first with 119
total points, including nine first-place votes, matching their vote totals from
a season ago. MW Tournament Champion San Jose State came in second with 102
total points and garnered three first-place votes. New Mexico received 90 total
points to claim the third-place spot. Wyoming was tabbed fourth with 84 total
points. Boise State (80) finished fifth, Colorado College (76) claimed the
sixth spot, and Utah State (71), UNLV (61), Fresno State (40), Air Force (34),
Nevada (19) and Colorado State (16) rounded out the poll.
Wyoming returns all 11 starters
and 21 letterwinners from the 2015 squad that went 10-6-4 overall and 6-4-1 in
the Mountain West, earning a fourth-place finish in the conference. Head coach
Pete Cuadrado enters his fifth year at the helm, looking to build on back-to-back
10-win seasons for the first time in program history. Junior forward Kaitlyn
Lomsnes, the 2014 MW Freshman of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year,
enters the season as the Cowgirls’ active leading scorer (12 goals, four
assists, 28 points). Other top returning players for the Cowgirls include
All-MW First Team selection junior forward Shaina Ashouri (nine goals, seven
assists, 25 points), junior defender Alisha Bass (seven goals, seven assists, 21
points) and senior forward Laurel Ramer (six goals, five assists, 17 points).
Wyoming fans will get the
opportunity to see the Cowgirls nine times at home in 2016, starting with their
season-opener against Houston Baptist on Aug. 19 at 5 p.m. A four-game
mid-season homestand includes matches against UNLV (Sept. 30), Nevada (Oct. 2),
Air Force (Oct. 7) and Colorado College (Oct. 9). The Cowgirls conclude the
regular season with a matchup against Colorado State at home on Oct. 28 at 3
p.m.
2016 MW PRESEASON
WOMEN’S SOCCER COACHES’ POLL
Pl.
Team (1st place votes)
Points
1. San Diego State (9) 119
2. San José State
(3)
102
3. New Mexico
90
4.
Wyoming
84
5. Boise State
80
6. Colorado College 76
7. Utah
State
71
8.
UNLV
61
9. Fresno
State 40
10.
Air Force
34
11.
Nevada
19
12.
Colorado
State 16
On Friday, the
Cowgirls will travel to Hastings, Neb. for an exhibition match against South
Dakota. Kick-off from Lloyd Wilson Field is slated for 5 p.m. MT. Follow
@WYOSoccer on Twitter for game updates.
