SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Citadel posted ninth overall in the Southern Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll ahead of the start of the 2025 campaign, per an official release from the league Monday afternoon. The annual poll is voted on by the SoCon's 10 head coaches.

Western Carolina, last season's SoCon regular-season champion, topped the poll with 81 points behind nine first-place votes while defending conference tournament title-winner Samford slid in at second with 72 points and a first-place vote of its own. Furman picked up third, receiving 58 points, with Mercer (51), Chattanooga (48), UNCG. (45) and ETSU (43) trailing not far behind. Wofford finished in the eighth spot with 25 points while The Citadel (16) and VMI (11) rounded out the poll at ninth and 10th, respectively.
   
The 2025 women's soccer season gets underway on Thursday, Aug. 14 as the Bulldogs trek north for an in-state non-conference clash at Presbyterian, setting up the squad's home opener against Kennesaw State on Sunday, Aug. 17 before launching SoCon play a month later on Thursday, Sept. 18 versus ETSU.

 

2025 SoCon Women's Soccer Preseason Poll

Rank	School (First-Place Votes)	Points
1	Western Carolina (9)	81
2	Samford (1)	72
3	Furman	58
4	Mercer	51
5	Chattanooga	48
6	UNCG	45
7	ETSU	43
8	Wofford	25
9	The Citadel	16
10	VMI	11

 

2025 SoCon Women's Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team 

Pos.	Student-Athlete	School
F	Jada Moorman	Mercer
F	Isabella DeMarco	Western Carolina
F	Milla Syska	Western Carolina
MF	Rachel Poplin	UNCG
MF	Fleming Dean	Samford
MF	Ava Robitaille	Western Carolina
D	Lena Dykes	Mercer
D	Brenna Swiger	Chattanooga
D	Mary Mueth	Western Carolina
D	Abbie Wise	Western Carolina
GK	Leanne Trudel	Western Carolina