ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced the Coaches' Preseason Poll for the 2023 women's soccer season. The Gorloks are picked to finish third in the conference after receiving 65 points in the poll and two first place votes.

The Gorloks return 17 players from last year's team that finished the season with a 13-7-1 overall record and a 10-3-1 mark in conference play. The team finished in second place in the regular season standings and were defeated by Greenville (Ill.) in the semifinals of the SLIAC Tournament.

Of the 17 returners, five players logged over 1,000 minutes in 2022 including Mya Stegen, Grace Rodgers, Reyce Reller, Isabella Dickneite, and Mackenzie Sundhausen. Stegen and Rodgers were both First Team All-SLIAC selections in 2022 as Stegen finished the year with 10 points (4 goals, 2 assists) while Rodgers led the team with 36 points (13 goals, 10 assists). Reller and Dickneite, a Third Team All-SLIAC honoree in 2022, anchored a back line that allowed just 20 goals all season long while posting 11 shutouts on the year. Sundhausen was a Second Team All-SLIAC selection in 2022 as she finished the year with 14 points (4 goals, 6 assists).

The team also returns Jordan Bilyeu, Abbey Poe, Jennifer Munger, Angie Calabrese, and Emily Buchholz who have all made an impact on the field throughout their careers. Bilyeu has recorded 29 points (8 goals, 13 assists) throughout her career and has been named All-SLIAC three times. Poe earned Third Team All-SLIAC honors in 2021 and has posted 30 career points (11 goals, 8 assists). Munger is a two-time All-SLIAC honoree and has posted 23 points (6 goals, 11 assists) throughout her career including 10 assists in the 2021 season. Calabrese was a Third Team All-SLIAC selection in 2021 and will come into this season with 11 points (4 goals, 3 assists) in 44 total games played. Buchholz has recorded nine points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 34 games throughout her career.

In addition, Hope Dedic, Payton Harting, and Sienna Inouye all return for Webster after each appeared in 20 or more games last season. Dedic finished last season with six total points (2 goals, 2 assists), Harting ended the year with four total points (1 goal, 2 assists), and Inouye recorded five total points (2 goals, 1 assist).

The Gorloks will welcome nine newcomers this season including seven freshman and two transfers. Payton Montana joins the Gorloks after recording 19 points (8 goals, 3 assists) at Westminster (Mo.) College last season while Luciana Guimaraes comes to Webster after starting 12 games and recording an assist at St. Louis Community College in 2022.

In addition to the preseason poll, the conference also announced the 2023 SLIAC Women's Soccer Preseason Watch List. Jordan Bilyeu, Isabella Dickneite, Grace Rodgers, Mackenzie Sundhausen, and Mya Stegen were all recognized.

Fontbonne (Mo.) University was picked to win the conference for the third straight season as they received 75 points in the poll and four first place votes. Greenville (Ill.) University was picked to finish second in the conference as they received 70 points in the poll and three first place votes.

The Gorloks will kick off their season on Friday, September 1^st when they host the Maryville (Tenn.) College Scots for a nonconference matchup. The game is set to start at 5 p.m. at World Wide Technology Soccer Park.