Complete GSC Women's Soccer Preseason Release

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— For the seventh straight year, West Florida is the coaches' preseason favorite to raise the GSC Women's Soccer Championship Trophy.  Delta State was picked to finish eighth. 

Following back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Championships, the Argonauts are the near-unanimous choice to three-peat as GSC Champions. Despite losing 10 starters from last year's squad, UWF's reputation to reload is a major reason for its status as favorites. Also helping the cause is returning National Player of the Year and Preseason All-GSC selection Shakira Duncan.

Despite being selected to win it all once again, the Argonauts have more company in the preseason poll this year. Last year's surprise team North Alabama garnered two First-Place votes and finished six points behind UWF in second place. The Lions are coming off the best season in school history, returning eight starters from a 19-win team that fell in the NCAA South Region semifinals to West Florida. UNA was predicted to finish fifth in last year's preseason poll but were 6-1 in GSC play and lost just four times all year with the help of 2009 GSC Player and Freshman of the Year Chloe Roberts. Roberts and the Lions do not have to look far to avenge the four defeats as three came at the hands of the Argonauts.

Christian Brothers was picked to finish fourth last season and did so by losing a third-place tiebreaker but earned a second-straight trip to the GSC Tournament. The Lady Buccaneers are predicted to finish third this year and make a third consecutive trip to the postseason. Harding looks to rebound after being chosen second in the 2009 preseason poll only to finish in seventh place. The Lady Bisons were picked to finish fourth this year as the last team in the Tournament.

Four squads will look to pull off what UNA and Alabama-Huntsville did last year and make the GSC postseason despite being picked to finish fifth or lower. The Lady Chargers find themselves in the same spot of sixth place in the preseason poll for the second straight season, but last year's squad made it to the Tournament as the No. 3 seed. West Georgia was chosen ahead of UAH at fifth and look for a return to Pensacola, Fla. and the GSC Tournament after missing last year's event. For the first time since 2005 when the GSC boasted 11 women's soccer clubs, all teams earned double-digit point totals in the preseason poll.

Ouachita Baptist edged out Delta State by two points, 12-10, for seventh place but both clubs are looking to make some noise this season as the Lady Tigers did last year. OBU was a unanimous selection to finish in last place in 2009, but ended the year tied for fifth and one point ahead of the predicted second-place squad.

The Lady Statesmen placed four student-athletes on the Top Newcomers Watch List, including defender Nicole Forbes, midfielder Payten Pearson, forward Erin Weaver and goalkeeper Meredith Wilkes. 

SCHOOL/TOTAL
West Florida - 48 (1)
North Alabama - 42 (2)
Christian Brothers - 37 (4)
Harding - 31 (7)
West Georgia - 23 (5)
Alabama-Huntsville - 21 (3)
Ouachita Baptist - 12 (6)
Delta State - 10 (8)