HILLSBORO, ORE.- The Pacific Lutheran Lutes lead the 2023 women’s soccer preseason poll, as voted on by NWC head coaches. The six-time defending team earned seven first place votes and 63 points for the top spot. The Lutes shared the championship title with the Puget Sound Loggers in 2018. The Loggers earned two first place votes and 56 points for a second place finish in the poll.
George Fox landed in third with 44 points, followed by Whitworth with 40 points. Linfield earned 31 points for fifth place and Willamette finished just behind with 30 points. Lewis & Clark ranked seventh with 28 points. Pacific (Ore.) and Whitman round out the poll in a tie with 16 points.
Conference action picks up September 16th. The regular season champion will receive the Northwest Conference’s AQ into the NCAA Tournament.
(Points awarded on an 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches could not vote for their own teams; numbers in parentheses indicate first place votes)
|
Team
|
Pts.
|
2022 NWC Finish
|
|
Pacific Lutheran (7)
|
63
|
1st
|
|
Puget Sound (2)
|
56
|
2nd
|
|
George Fox
|
44
|
3rd
|
|
Whitworth
|
40
|
4th
|
|
Linfield
|
31
|
6th
|
|
Willamette
|
30
|
7th
|
|
Lewis & Clark
|
28
|
5th
|
|
Pacific (Ore.)
|
16
|
8th
|
|
Whitman
|
16
|
9th
|