BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — West Florida was named the favorite in the 2024 Gulf South Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, and had five names on the preseason All-GSC team.
The poll and preseason team were determined by the league's head coaches, who were unable to vote for their own team or student-athletes.
The Argonauts topped the preseason predictions for the first time since 2019, after collecting 143 total points and 11-of-12 possible first-place votes. West Florida heads into this season as defending GSC regular season champions.
Reigning GSC tournament champion Lee was picked second with 129 points and two first-place votes. Mississippi College landed in the third spot with 123 points, followed by Montevallo (110) and Union (95) at fourth and fifth, respectively. Valdosta State tallied 90 points for sixth, West Alabama collected 72 points for seventh, and Alabama Huntsville was eighth with 70 points.
This year's preseason team featured 14 student-athletes from six schools with 12 names earning postseason All-GSC recognition last season. West Florida had a conference-best five selections, headlined by Mya Swinton who was last season's GSC Player of the Year. In addition, the 2024 Newcomer Watchlist was also released and featured 22 names from 10 schools.
This year marks the 29th season of GSC women's soccer and will be the first for Trevecca Nazarene in the Gulf South Conference. Teams will play 12 conference games over seven weeks. Click here to see the full schedule.
For the first time ever, all regular season soccer matches will be streamed exclusively on FloSports and FloFC. Fans who subscribe here can secure special GSC pricing, and those who use an .edu email from a GSC school-playing member institution can save even more on monthly or annual subscriptions.
The official start of the season is Thursday, Sept. 5, while conference play is scheduled to begin Wednesday, Sept. 18. The GSC Women's Soccer Championship is set for Nov. 10, 15 and 17.
2024 GSC Women's Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll
First-place votes in parenthesis ( )
1. West Florida (11) – 143 points
2. Lee (2) – 129 points
3. Mississippi College – 123 points
4. Montevallo – 110 points
5. Union – 95 points
6. Valdosta State – 90 points
7. West Alabama – 72 points
8. Alabama Huntsville – 70 points
9. Trevecca Nazarene – 52 points
10. Christian Brothers – 47 points
11. Auburn Montgomery – 30 points
12. Delta State – 29 points
13. Spring Hill – 24 points
2024 Women's Soccer Preseason All-GSC Team
Carmen Endicott, M, R-Sr., UAH^
Grace Berry, M, Jr., Lee*
Avery Sides, D, Jr., Lee
Eduarda Silva, D, Jr., Mississippi College^
Margherita Giubilato, F, Sr., Mississippi College*
Poppy Binding, F, R-Sr., Spring Hill^
Caroline Kimmel, D, Jr., Valdosta State
Molly Wooldridge, F, Sr., Valdosta State^
Kendall Blackmon, D, Sr., West Florida*
Emma Beltz, M, Sr., West Florida*
Bela Labovic, M, Sr., West Florida^
Ahnalie Layman, D, Sr., West Florida^
Maciah Lipsey, GK, Gr., West Florida*
Mya Swinton, F, R-Sr., West Florida*!
Listed alphabetically by school
Includes a tie in voting; no tie-breaker
* 2023 First Team All-GSC
^ 2023 Second Team All-GSC
! 2023 GSC Player of the Year
2024 GSC Women's Soccer Newcomer Watchlist
Erin Turley – Alabama Huntsville, F, Fr. – Oxford, Ala./Donoho HS
Campbell Tarentino – Alabama Huntsville, D, Fr. – Powder Springs, Ga./Hillgrove HS
Aurora Gobbi – Auburn Montgomery, D, Jr. – Sant'Ambrogio di Valpolicella, Italy/Academy Ladispoli
Lana Yan Collado Lopez – Auburn Montgomery, D/M, Jr. – Valencia, Spain/Tyler JC (Texas)
Lucy Thomas – Auburn Montgomery, F, Fr. – Edinburgh, Scotland/North Berwick HS
Kaley Harden – Delta State, M, Jr. – Carrollton, Miss./Northwest Mississippi CC
Aidyn Hagan – Mississippi College, D, Fr. – Fair Hope, Ala./Coastal Rush
Vail Wartes – Mississippi College, M, Fr. – Brandon, Miss./Hartfield Academy
Rilee Bradbury – Montevallo, M, Sr. – Covina, Calif./Azusa Pacific
Bear Bradbury – Montevallo, M, Jr. – Covina, Calif./Troy
Shadia Valenzuela – Montevallo, F, Jr. – Buenaventura, Colombia/Lipscomb
Riley Davis – Spring Hill, M, Jr. – Lucedale, Miss./Jones College (Miss.)
Jordan Hellman – Trevecca Nazarene, M, Jr. – Knoxville, Tenn./Lincoln Memorial
Tatum Mendel – Trevecca Nazarene, D, Fr. – Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth HS
Maria Luiza Rocha – Trevecca Nazarene, D, Jr. – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/Kansas City Kansas CC
Lucia Garcia – Union, D, Jr. – Asturias, Spain/Daytona State College (Fla.)
Alyssa Goodloe – Union, M, Gr. – Beaumont, Calif./Grambling State
Brooke Ricca – Union, M, So. – Weston, Fla./Wisconsin-Green Bay
Anna Dandeneau – Valdosta State, M, Fr. – Cumming, Ga./South Forsyth HS
Kaitlyn Scherer – Valdosta State, M, So. – Green Cove Springs, Fla./FGCU
Cora Helmig – West Florida, D, Fr. – Pensacola, Fla./ Tate HS
Katie Kautch – West Florida, M, Fr. – Navarre, Fla./Navarre HS