ROCK HILL, S.C. - With the start of the 2015 season on the horizon, Anderson University women's soccer standouts Faith Johannes and Lyssa Engle have been named to the Preseason All-South Atlantic Conference First Team, announced by the conference office on Monday.
In addition to the pair of all-conference selections, the Trojans were projected to finish eighth in the annual SAC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, matching where the Black and Gold finished in the final SAC standings a year ago.
Johannes claims her fourth all-conference selection, landing on a preseason all-conference list for the second time in her career. For her career, the Las Vegas native has scored seven goals while anchoring a backline that has posted 11 shutouts over the past two seasons. Johannes closed the 2014 season with an all-conference first-team spot after notching four goals and four assists.
Engle shined in her first collegiate campaign becoming the first Trojan to claim SAC Freshman of the Year honors after leading the team in goals with 11. Engle's season was highlighted by a four-goal performance in a 4-1 rout over Mars Hill on Sept. 27, which eventually earned her AstroTurf SAC Co-Player of the Week. The Fairborn, Ohio native led the Black and Gold in shots (40), goals, points (23) and shots on goal (23).
SAC regular-season champion Lenoir-Rhyne claimed the top spot in the annual preseason poll, inching out SAC Tournament champion, Wingate, by a single point. The Bears also earned seven first-place votes, compared to the Bulldogs' five.
This is the second time in program history AU has been placed in the eighth spot in the annual SAC Preseason Poll, as it finished eighth prior to its inaugural season in the SAC in 2010.
Anderson opens its 2015 regular season on Sept. 3 when it welcomes Shorter to Trojan Stadium for a nonconference matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
2015 SAC Women's Soccer Preseason
Poll
School (first-place votes) Total
1. Lenoir-Rhyne (7) 127
2. Wingate (5) 126
3. Lincoln Memorial 103
4. Newberry 95
5. Catawba 90
6. Tusculum 89
7. Queens 77
8. Anderson 62
9. Carson-Newman 56
10. Coker 35
11. Mars Hill 33
12. Brevard 31
2015 Women's Soccer Preseason
All-SAC
First Team All-Conference
F - Casey Marlin, Lenoir-Rhyne
F - Brooke Howell, Wingate
F - Lyssa Engle, Anderson
F - Taylor Lewis, Tusculum
MF - Garcelle Alequine, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF - Mikayla Gregg, Carson-Newman
MF - Caitlyn Rodrigues, Queens
MF - Kaitlyn Brunworth, Wingate
D - Macy Franklin, Wingate
D - Faith Johannes, Anderson
D - Briana Belsky, Lenoir-Rhyne
D - Helen Seed, Carson-Newman
GK - Bethany Davis, Catawba
Second Team All-Conference
F - Leah Mullins, Lenoir-Rhyne
F - Michelle Hunter, Lincoln Memorial
F - Payton DeHart, Tusculum
F - Taylor Leyble, Wingate
MF - Emmi Dunn, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF - Gabrielle Whitt, Tusculum
MF - Naomi Matley, Wingate
MF - Alex Hulsey, Catawba
D - Erin Feldman, Catawba
D - Ashley Osiecki, Queens
D - Amber Madriaga, Lenoir-Rhyne
D - Olivia Kilgore, Tusculum
GK - Alayna Morris, Lenoir-Rhyne
