Richardson, Texas-Hardin-Simmons has been predicted to win its 11th consecutive and 16th overall American Southwest Conference women's soccer title, it was announced on Tuesday (Aug. 20) by the conference office after a vote of the league's 11 head coaches and sports information directors. Taking 2013 preseason player of the year honors were Mississippi College's Macey Lee and Hardin-Simmons Courtney Cramer.
Hardin-Simmons, which went 18-1-2 overall (12-0-0 ASC) and reached the sectional round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship last season, totaled 239 points and received all but three of the 22 possible first-place votes to be the favorite in the annual preseason poll. Head coach Marcus Wood’s Cowgirls have gone 157 games without losing to a conference opponent and claimed nine consecutive ASC regular season crowns. HSU, which won the national title in 2010, led the league with 89 goals last season – 30 more than anyone else in the ASC. The Cowgirls were scored on just eight times.
Texas-Tyler (14-5-1, 11-1-0 ASC) was picked to finish as the runner-up with 218 points and landed two first-place votes. Head coach Stefani Webb’s Patriots reached the conference title game last season and took HSU to overtime in the regular season before falling, 2-1.
Two-time conference champion Texas-Dallas (11-5-2, 7-3-2 ASC) was the choice for third place with 188 points and received the final first-place vote. Mississippi College (14-3-3, 9-2-1 ASC) was just one point behind UTD to be the fourth-place selection. East Texas Baptist (8-7-1, 6-5-1 ASC) totaled 136 points to be in the fifth position and Concordia Texas (9-6-3, 7-3-2 ASC) had 125 points to round out what would be the league’s six teams to qualify for the ASC Championship Tournament.
Howard Payne had 112 points to be the seventh-place pick. Mary Hardin-Baylor (106 pts.) was eighth, followed by Louisiana College (68 pts.), LeTourneau (44 pts.) and Ozarks (29 pts.).
Lee (Pearl, Miss. / PHS), a 5-foot-6 junior forward, has been named ASC Preseason Offensive Player after posting the third most points in the league last season with 14 goals and seven assists. Four of her goals were of the game-winning variety.
Cramer (Abilene, Texas / Wylie HS), a 5-foot-7 senior defender, has been named as ASC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year after spearheading a unit that allowed only 0.38 goals per game and produced 15 shutouts last season – both top marks in the conference. Cramer also found the back of the net 14 times.
Lee and Cramer, whose goal totals tied for best in the conference, were each first team all-ASC selections last season. Cramer was the defensive player of the year.
The 2013 ASC season – the 18th in league history – begins as early as Aug. 30. The six-team, single elimination conference tournament is slated for Nov. 7-10 – with an off day on Nov. 9 – at the site of the regular season champion. An automatic berth into the NCAA Division III tournament will be on the line.
NOTES: New head coaches in the conference are LeTourneau’s Jamie Lindvall and Concordia Texas’ Heather Primavera. . . . Texas Lutheran (7-9-1, 4-7-1 ASC) and Schreiner (3-12-1, 3-9-0 ASC) are no longer members of the conference . . . . Hardin-Simmons is ranked No. 6 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Continental Tire Division III Women’s Coaches Top 25 Poll. . . . Entering his 14th season at Hardin-Simmons, Wood ranks fourth all-time among women’s soccer head coaches from all NCAA levels with an .868 winning percentage (236-27-21). . . . To talk about ASC Soccer on Twitter this season, use the hashtag: #ASCsoccer.
2013 ASC PRESEASON WOMEN’S SOCCER POLL
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors]
Team (first place votes)
1. Hardin-Simmons (19)
2. Texas-Tyler (2)
3. Texas-Dallas (1)
4. Mississippi College
5. East Texas Baptist
6. Concordia Texas
7. Howard Payne
8. Mary Hardin-Baylor
9. Louisiana College
10. LeTourneau
11. Ozarks
2013 ASC PRESEASON WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors]
Offensive Macey Lee, F, Jr., Mississippi College
Defensive Courtney Cramer, D, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
Topics: Athletics