CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Results of the 2023 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches: 
 

2023 American Rivers Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
Rank	School (1st place votes)	Points	2022 Record
1.	Loras (8)	64	18-1-3 overall, 8-0 A-R-C (Conference Champions)
2.	Simpson	54	12-6-1 overall, 6-2 A-R-C
3.	Wartburg (1)	52	16-3-2 overall, 6-1-1 A-R-C
4.	Luther	44	8-8-4 overall, 3-3-2 A-R-C
5.	Dubuque	33	6-5-7 overall, 3-2-3 A-R-C
6.	Central	31	9-6-3 overall, 3-3-2 A-R-C
7.	Nebraska Wesleyan	20	6-9-1 overall, 2-6 A-R-C
8.	Coe	17	1-15-1 overall, 1-7 A-R-C
9.	Buena Vista	9	4-12-1 overall, 0-8 A-R-C

The Loras College Duhawks, 2022 Conference Champions, are the coaches' choice to win the 2023 American Rivers Conference women's soccer title. Loras was chosen first on eight ballots (coaches do not vote on their own team) and earned 64 points to take the No. 1 ranking in the preseason poll. Simpson College, who finished third in 2022, was picked second and earned 54 points. The runners-up from last year, Wartburg College, garnered 52 points including one first-place vote to earn third in the poll. The Luther College Norse tallied 44 points as the coaches' pick for fourth-place. Coming in as the fifth-place selection was the University of Dubuque with 33 points. Central College rounds out the top six with 31 points. Nebraska Wesleyan University finishes seventh, Coe College eighth, and Buena Vista University in ninth.

United Soccer Coaches/D3soccer.com Preseason Poll: At this time, no rankings have been dropped by D3soccer.com. Loras debuted at No. 15 and Wartburg No. 23 in the United Soccer Coaches Division III preseason poll.

New Coaches: 

• Mauricio Lozada, Buena Vista University -- Lozada takes over the head coaching duties after serving as a men's assistant coach at Bethany Lutheran College. Prior to his stint at Bethany Lutheran, Lozada spent five seasons as the men's and women's assistant coach at St. Olaf College. Additionally, Lozada has spent nearly 10 years coaching at the club levels. Lozada earned his undergraduate degree from UW-River Falls and is currently pursuing a master's degree from Concordia University-St. Paul.
• Kevin Lebahn, Nebraska Wesleyan University -- Lebahn was named the 12th women's soccer head coach in program history for the Prairie Wolves. Lebahn most recently worked as the men's assistant coach, goalkeeper coach, and the women's assistant at Iowa Western Community College. Prior to Iowa Western, Lebahn served as an assistant and goalkeepers coach for the men's team at Augsburg University for five years. Lebahn earned his bachelor's degree from Saint John's University (Minn.) where he was a standout as a student-athlete.

The Schedule: Seven of the nine teams in the league kick off their season on Friday, September 1st. Buena Vista will host Bethany Lutheran College out of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). Central will host St. Mary's College out of Notre Dame, Indiana. The Belles hail from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). The Dubuque Spartans will host Grinnell College out of the Midwest Conference. Loras is set to host Aurora University out of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) and Luther is traveling to Spokane, Washington to take on Whitworth University. Simpson is traveling to Bloomington, Illinois to take on Illinois Wesleyan University out of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW), while Wartburg will host Hope College of the MIAA in Waverly. Coe and Nebraska Wesleyan will begin their 2023 campaigns on Saturday, September 2nd. The Kohawks will host the Grinnell Pioneers and the Prairie Wolves will take on Rhodes College in Jacksonville, Illinois. Rhodes College is a member of the Southern Athletic Association (SAA).

The eight-game round robin American Rivers Conference schedule begins Saturday, September 23rd with four games. Loras will host Buena Vista for the opening of league play, while Central will travel to Indianola for a match-up with Simpson. Dubuque will make the trip to Waverly to kick off conference play against Wartburg and Luther is set to host Nebraska Wesleyan. Coe begins league action on Saturday, September 30th with a road trip to Wartburg.

Conference Tournament: At the conclusion of the regular season conference schedule, the top six teams move onto the 2023 American Rivers Conference Tournament. The tournament begins Saturday, October 28th with the 4/5 seeds and the 3/6 seeds meeting at the higher seeded home pitch. On Wednesday, November 1st, the winner of the 4/5 opening round game will travel to the No. 1 seed, while the 3/6 winner will make the trip to the No. 2 seed. The semifinal winners will face-off on Saturday, November 4th (at higher seed home venue) for the tournament title and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

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1st		Loras College Head Coach: Matt Pucci (8th season, 103-18-11 record) 2022 Record: 18-1-3 overall, 8-0 A-R-C 2022 Conference Finish: 1st NCAA Tournament (Last Appearance/Total Appearances): 2022/16 Returning All-Conference: Kyndal Kells (2022 First Team, GK, Sr.), Libby Perry (2022 First Team, D, Sr.), Hannah Schmitz (2022 First Team, M, Sr.), Savannah Johnson (2022 Honorable Mention, F, Sr.), Emma Casebolt (2022 Honorable Mention, D, Jr.) Starters Returning: 7 Starters Lost: 4 Matt Pucci - "We're so excited to get going again this season!"
	Players to Watch (Returners Only)	2022 Statistics
	Kyndal Kells - GK (Sr.)	22-games started // 16-goals against // 55-saves // 18-1-3 record // 8-shutouts
	Libby Perry - D (Sr.)	22-games started // 1-goal
	Hannah Schmitz - M (Sr.)	22-games played // 4-goals // 9-assists // 1-game winner
	Savannah Johnson - F (Sr.)	20-games played // 9-goals // 3-assists
	Emma Casebolt - D (Jr.)	21-games played

 

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2nd		Simpson College Head Coach: Jeremy Reinert (5th Season, 43-30-8) 2022 Record: 12-6-1 overall, 6-2 A-R-C 2022 Conference Finish: 3rd NCAA Tournament (Last Appearance/Total Appearances): 1999/1 Returning All-Conference: Cassie Nash (2022 Offensive Most Valuable Player, 2021, 2020 First Team, F, 5th Year), Hailey Kowzan (2022 First Team, M, Sr.), Brissa Valadez (2022 First Team, M, So.), Lani Mears (2022 Honorable Mention, GK, 5th Year) Starters Returning: 7 Starters Lost: 4 Jeremy Reinert - "We're really excited about the combination of returning and first-year players. After taking another step forward last season, we have a motivated group, eager to compete for an A-R-C Championship."
	Players to Watch (Returners Only)	2022 Statistics
	Cassie Nash - F (5th Year)	19-games started // 24-goals // 7-assists // 8-game winners
	Julia Wagoner - M (Sr.)	19-games played // 2-goals // 5-assists // 1-game winner
	Hailey Kowzan - M (Sr.)	18-games started // 2-goals // 7-assists
	Brissa Valadez - M/F (So.)	19-games played // 7-goals // 5-assists // 2-game winners
	Elle Street - D (So.)	19-games played

 

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3rd		Wartburg College Head Coach: Emily Ryan (2nd season, 16-3-2 record) 2022 Record: 16-3-2 overall, 6-1-1 A-R-C 2022 Conference Finish: 2nd NCAA Tournament (Last Appearance/Total Appearances): 2022/10 Returning All-Conference: Avery Mize (2022 Honorable Mention, D, Jr.) Starters Returning: 4 Starters Lost: 7 Emily Ryan - "We are excited to get going again. We have a motivated group of returners ready to lead the many new faces joining our program. The A-R-C continues to showcase a high level of talent and we are looking forward to another competitive season."
	Players to Watch (Returners Only)	2022 Statistics
	Avery Mize - D (Jr.)	21-games started // 1,882-minutes
	Lauren Kirkle - D (Jr.)	21-games played // 5-goals // 4-assists // 1-game winner
	Greta Rothe - M (So.)	20-games played // 2-goals // 2-assists
	Mya Jansen - F (So.)	21-games started // 2-goals // 5-assists

 

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4th		Luther College Head Coach: Hollie Gray III (4th season, 21-22-4 record) 2022 Record: 8-8-4 overall, 4-4 A-R-C 2022 Conference Finish: t-5th NCAA Tournament (Last Appearance/Total Appearances): 2016/1 Returning All-Conference: Maggie Haller (2022 First Team, F, Sr.), Emma Lin (2022 First Team, M, Sr.), Kaitlyn Bebensee (2022 Honorable Mention, D, Sr.), Irelyn Baumberger (2022 Honorable Mention, GK, Sr.) Starters Returning: 6 Starters Lost: 5 Hollie Gray III - "This season is sure to be an extremely competitive one as the conference as a whole returns a lot of talent. We return a group of extremely competitive and motivated players along with the addition of quality new faces who are ready to drive our program."
	Players to Watch (Returners Only)	2022 Statistics
	Samantha Sabin - M (Sr.)	16-games started // 3-goals // 1-assist // 1-game winner
	Makayla Haddorff - M (Sr.)	20-games started // 1-goal // 1-assist // 1-game winner
	Lauryn Larson - D (So.)	17-games played // 903-minutes
	Cassiah James - MF (Jr.)	19-games played // 1-goal / 1-assist

 

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5th		University of Dubuque Head Coach: Jason Berna (23rd season, 224-154-35 record) 2022 Record: 6-5-7 overall, 3-2-3 A-R-C 2022 Conference Finish: 4th NCAA Tournament (Last Appearance/Total Appearances): 2014/2 Returning All-Conference: Bailey Brennan (2022 Honorable Mention, D, Sr.), Emma Kober (2021, 2022 Honorable Mention, F, Sr.), Virginia Speltz (2022 Honorable Mention, D, Jr.), Riley Trudeau (2022 Honorable Mention, F, So.) Starters Returning: 9 Starters Lost: 2 Jason Berna - "It is going to be another great year for the A-R-C with several great teams that will compete well in the region."
	Players to Watch (Returners Only)	2022 Statistics
	Bailey Brennan - D (Sr.)	18-games started // 3-assists // 1,570-minutes
	Emma Kober - F (Sr.)	18-games started // 5-goals // 3-assists // 2-game winners
	Virginia Speltz - D (Jr.)	18-games started // 1-assist // 1,581-minutes
	Lydia Smith - D (Sr.)	18-games played // 1-goal // 2-assists // 1-game winner
	Riley Trudeau - F (So.)	18-games started // 5-goals // 3-assists

 

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6th		Central College Head Coach: Michael Kobylinski (13th season, 120-70-22) 2022 Record: 9-6-3 overall, 3-3-2 A-R-C 2022 Conference Finish: t-5th NCAA Tournament (Last Appearance/Total Appearances): N/A Returning All-Conference: Grace Coates (2022 First Team, F, Jr.), Abby Frey (2022 Honorable Mention, M, Sr.) Starters Returning: 8 Starters Lost: 3 Michael Kobylinksi - "We are looking forward to this year and we want to compete for top 4 and championships in this league. We return most of our starters as well as influential role players and we have brought in a very promising incoming class. From top to bottom each week is a challenge in this league and we are excited to compete."
	Players to Watch (Returners Only)	2022 Statistics
	Bridget Lynch - D/M (5th Year)	15-games started // 2-goals // 1,162-minutes
	Grace Coates - F (Jr.)	18-games started // 12-goals // 1-assist // 2-game winners
	Paige Cahill - F (Sr.)	18-games started // 5-goals // 10-assists
	Abby Frey - M (Sr.)	18-games started // 6-goals // 3-assists // 2-game winners
	Kaitlyn Isom - F/D (Sr.)	2-games played // 1-goal

 

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7th		Nebraska Wesleyan University Head Coach: Kevin Lebahn (1st season) 2022 Record: 6-9-1 overall, 2-6 A-R-C 2022 Conference Finish: 7th NCAA Tournament (Last Appearance/Total Appearances): 0 Returning All-Conference: None Starters Returning: 7 Starters Lost: 4 Kevin Lebahn - "We are excited about this upcoming season as we bring back a strong core of returners, while adding a lot of new faces."
	Players to Watch (Returners Only)	2022 Statistics
	Hannah Ghannam - M (Sr.)	16-games played // 4-goals // 1-assist // 1-game winner
	Jena Shultz - GK (So.)	13-games started // 70-saves // 5-4-1 record // 4-shutouts
	Kaeding Rassfeld - D (Sr.)	12-games played

 

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8th		Coe College Head Coach: James Culotta (2nd season, 1-15-1 record) 2022 Record: 1-15-1 overall, 1-7 A-R-C 2022 Conference Finish: 8th NCAA Tournament (Last Appearance/Total Appearances): 1997/1 Returning All-Conference: Ella Weber (2022 Honorable Mention, F, Sr.) Starters Returning: 6 Starters Lost: 5 James Culotta - "We have made some key additions to our team and have seen some leaders step up over the past year. I am excited to work with this group to take on a talented A-R-C in 2023. We are looking forward to the challenge of getting back into the conference tournament."
	Players to Watch (Returners Only)	2022 Statistics
	Ella Weber - F (Sr.)	17-games started // 4-goals // 1-game winner
	Jordan Rosas - M (Sr.)	17-games started // 1,257-minutes

 

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9th		Buena Vista University Head Coach: Mauricio Lozada (1st season) 2022 Record: 4-12-1 overall, 0-8 A-R-C 2022 Conference Finish: 9th NCAA Tournament (Last Appearance/Total Appearances): 0 Returning All-Conference: None Starters Returning: 7 Starters Lost: 4 Mauricio Lozada - "Our conference is very competitive; we are excited to build on the positive strides made last season."
	Players to Watch (Returners Only)	2022 Statistics
	Madylin Taylor - F (So.)	17-games played // 7-goals // 2-assists // 2-game winners
	Kaycie King - D (Jr.)	17-games played // 2-goals // 1-assist // 1-game winner
	Brooklyn Bergum - D (Jr.)	15-games started // 1,014-minutes
	Maddy Bigalke - GK (Jr.)	11-games played // 58-saves // 3-6 record

 

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