CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Defending Iowa Conference champion Wartburg is the coaches pick to win the 2016 IIAC Women's Soccer title. The Knights picked up six first place votes and 62 points to earn the top spot in the Coaches Preseason Poll.
Wartburg's 62 points came from six first place votes and two second place picks (coaches do not vote for their own team). Luther placed second with 51 points on one first place vote, three second place votes, three thirds, and a fifth place pick. Coe falls into the third spot with 46 points including one first place vote. Dubuque rounds out the top four with 43 points and a first place vote. Nine-time champion Loras is picked fifth with 40 points. Central is sixth with 36 points and projects to be the final IIAC Tournament qualifier.
IIAC newcomer Nebraska Wesleyan is picked seventh with 22 points. Simpson is projected to finish eighth with 15 points. Buena Vista takes the nine spot with nine points.
The complete 2016 IIAC Women's Soccer Coaches Poll is as follows.
| Rank |
School (1st place votes) |
Points |
2015 Record |
| 1. |
Wartburg (6) |
62 |
15-5-3, 6-1 IIAC |
| 2. |
Luther (1) |
51 |
13-5-1, 4-2-1 IIAC |
| 3. |
Coe (1) |
46 |
15-1-3, 5-1-1 IIAC |
| 4. |
Dubuque (1) |
43 |
10-7-2, 2-4-1 IIAC |
| 5. |
Loras |
40 |
11-5-4, 4-2-1 IIAC |
| 6. |
Central |
36 |
9-6-2, 3-2-2 IIAC |
| 7. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
22 |
9-9-0, 6-5 GPAC |
| 8. |
Simpson |
15 |
5-13, 1-6 IIAC |
| 9. |
Buena Vista |
9 |
3-13, 0-7 IIAC |
NSCAA Preseason Poll: Iowa Conference Regular Season and Tournament Champion Wartburg is ranked No. 18 in the NSCAA Division III Top 25 Preseason Poll. IIAC runner-up Coe is receiving votes.
New Coaches: Matt Pucci replaces seven-time IIAC Coach of the Year Dan Rothert at the helm of the Loras Women's Soccer team. Pucci, a 2007 First Team All-Iowa Conference performer for Loras, has spent the last six seasons as an assistant with the Duhawks.
The Schedule: The 2016 season begins on September 1 with Coe, Dubuque, Loras, Luther, Nebraska Wesleyan, Simpson and Wartburg all kicking off their seasons. Buena Vista starts things off at home on September 2. Central is the final team to start their season as they travel to Michigan for a September 3 opener. The 2016 Iowa Conference schedule begins on Saturday, September 24 with four games. The IIAC season is an eight game round robin schedule finishing on October 25.
IIAC Tournament: The top six teams qualify for the 2016 tournament which begins on October 29 with the 4/5 seeds and the 3/6 seeds meeting at the lower seeds home field. The winners of the opening round games will face the 1 and 2 seeds on November 2. The semifinal winners will face-off on November 5 for the tournament title and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
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Wartburg College
Head Coach: Tiffany Pins (2015 IIAC Coach of the Year)
2015 Record: 15-5-3 overall, 6-1-0 in the IIAC
Returning All-IIAC: Beth Crow (First Team GK); Alyssa Hewitt First Team MF); Olivia Jansen First Team F); Morgan Neuendorf (Second Team MF).
Coaches Take: "The team's focus will be taking one day at a time. We except each conference game to be challenging. It will be a competitive conference season.” |
| Players to Watch: |
|
| Beth Crow - GK (Jr.) |
15-5-3 record // 0.71-GAA // 129-saves // 11-shutouts |
| Morgan Neuendorf - MF (Jr.) |
9-goals // 4-game winners // 23-games started |
| Alyssa Hewitt - MF (Jr.) |
3-goals // 6-assist // 23-games started |
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Luther College
Head Coach: Russell Schouweiler
2015 Record: 13-5-1 overall, 4-2-1 in the IIAC
Returning All-IIAC: Erin Danielson (Defensive MVP, First Team D); Lauren Hughes (First Team MF); Melisse Chasse (First Team F); Madison Speer (Second Team D); Ellie Bunz (Second Team F).
Coaches Take: "By adding a new member school to our conference, Nebraska Wesleyan, we have only added more quality soccer to be on display. We expect this season to be even more competitive and we hope that we are close to the top at the end of October.” |
| Players to Watch: |
|
| Erin Danielson - D (Sr.) |
IIAC Defensive MVP // 19-games started |
| Melisse Chasse - F (Sr.) |
9-goals // 6-assists // 6-game winners // 19-games started |
| Ellie Bunz - F (Sr.) |
6-goals // 7-assists // 19-games started |
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Coe College
Head Coach: Scott Myers
2015 Record: 15-1-3 overall, 5-1-1 in the IIAC
Returning All-IIAC: Allie Stubbs (Second Team D); Jordan Holmes (Second Team MF).
Coaches Take: “The Iowa Conference will be very tough again from top to bottom with a champion possibly not named until the last day of the conference season. The IIAC is such a strong conference, with quality coaches and student-athletes, that competing against each other is always exciting for our teams and fans. It should be another crazy season.” |
| Players to Watch: |
|
| MJ Winterer - GK (Jr.) |
11-1-2 record // .67-GAA // 91-saves // 6-shutouts |
| Allison Stubbs - MF (So.) |
18-games started |
| Jordan Holmes - MF (Jr.) |
6-goals // 3-assists // 3-game winners |
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University of Dubuque
Head Coach: Jason Berna
2015 Record: 10-7-2 overall, 2-4-1 in the IIAC
Returning All-IIAC: Emily Meeker (Second Team MF); Kyleigh McLaughlin (Second Team F).
Coaches Take: "This will be another exciting year in the IIAC with several teams that could win the conference. We will look to continue to improve off of last year and grow as a team.” |
| Players to Watch: |
|
| Emily Meeker - MF (Jr.) |
5-goals // 19-games started |
| Kyleigh McLaughlin - F (Jr.) |
8-goals // 15-games started |
| Lauren Cangelosi - D (So.) |
6-assists // 19-games started |
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Loras College
Head Coach: Matt Pucci
2015 Record: 11-5-4 overall, 4-2-1 in the IIAC
Returning All-IIAC: Sydney Wright (Second Team D); Madie Avery (Second Team MF).
Coaches Take: "The Iowa Conference is as strong and deep as ever and should be an exciting season!” |
| Players to Watch: |
| Madie Avery - MF (Sr.) |
5-goals // 12-games started |
| Sydney Wright - D (Jr.) |
1-goal // 1-assist // 20-games started |
| Maura Walsh - F (Jr.) |
3-goals // 4-games started |
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Central College
Head Coach: Michael Kobylinski
2015 Record: 9-6-2 overall, 3-2-2 in the IIAC
Returning All-IIAC: Sydney Lunardi (Second Team GK); Lauryn Kramer (Second Team MF); Kayla Sunvold (Sedond Team F).
Coaches Take: "Our expectations are simple. We wish to compete with the top teams in the conference and put ourselves in the best position possible in the regular/post season. The Iowa Conference is as competitive as ever and I feel one of the best soccer leagues around." |
| Players to Watch: |
| Sydney Lunardi - GK (Sr.) |
7-6-1 record // 1.23-GAA // 99-saves // 3-shutouts |
| Kayla Sunvold - F/MF (Sr.) |
8-goals // 4-assists // 16-games started |
| Kelsey Roxworthy - D/MF (Sr.) |
1-goal // 16-games started |
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Nebraska Wesleyan University
Head Coach: Tudor Flintham
2015 Record: 9-9 overall
Returning All-IIAC: None (First year in IIAC)
Coaches Take: "We have done well against IIAC teams in the past but this is a new challenge and new chapter for us. We are young and talented... energized by entering a new and very strong conference... anything could happen." |
| Players to Watch: |
|
| Madi Francis - GK (Sr.) |
8-9-0 record // 1.61-GAA // 76-saves // 7-shutouts |
| Katelin Blosser - F (Sr.) |
10-goals // 2-assists // 3-game winner // 16-games started |
| Hallie Schimenti - F (Sr.) |
2-goals // 2-assists // |
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Simpson College
Head Coach: Jill Serafino
2015 Record: 5-13 overall, 1-6 in the IIAC
Returning All-IIAC: Mackenzie Stump (First Team MF).
Coaches Take: "As we continue to rebuild, our team will be fueled by younger players and driven by strong leaders in the senior class.The IIAC title might be up for grabs as the top four teams from last year are pretty evenly matched. Should be an exciting season!" |
| Players to Watch: |
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| Megan Lankford - D (Sr.) |
1-goal // 1-assist // 17-games started |
| Mackenzie Stump - MF (Sr.) |
6-goals // 5-assists // 18-games started |
| Lauren Stillman - D (Sr.) |
18-games started |
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Buena Vista University
Head Coach: Sheena Van Roekel
2015 Record: 3-13 overall, 0-7 in the IIAC
Returning All-IIAC: None.
Coaches Take: "We're excited for the 2016 Season to begin. The ladies have been working hard and putting in the hours, individually and as a unit, since 2015 came to a close. We're lucky to be a part of a conference where we know it's going to push our players with each match and keep some wondering how it'll finish." |
| Players to Watch: |
| Samantha Arnold - F (Sr.) |
6-goals // 1-assist // 2-game winners // 13-games started |
| Caroline Maher - F (Jr.) |
3-goals // 3-assists // 12-games started |
| Claire Arganbright - MF (Jr.) |
1-goal // 16-games started |
