IRVING, Texas – 2017 Conference USA Regular-Season Champion Rice has been selected as the preseason favorite by the league’s 14 head coaches. Middle Tennessee sophomore forward Peyton DePriest was voted the C-USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while North Texas junior defender Dominique James was tabbed as the C-USA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Complete Release (PDF)
 
The Owls earned their first outright regular-season title last campaign, going 12-4-2 (9-0-1) and making it to the NCAA Tournament. Rice landed two players on this year’s preseason team, junior goalkeeper Maya Hoyer and senior forward Annie Walker. Hoyer, the 2017 C-USA Goalkeeper of the Year, tallied eight shutouts, which tied for first in the league. Walker led C-USA in assists with nine.
 
In her first season with the Blue Raiders, DePriest tied for the conference lead in goals (13) and led in points per game (1.61), starting all 18 games in 2017. The Franklin, Tennessee, native was voted C-USA Freshman of the Year and was named to the All-C-USA Second Team and the conference’s All-Freshman Team.
 
James started all 22 matches for the Mean Green and recorded 10 shutouts last season, helping North Texas take home the C-USA Women’s Soccer Championship title. Her efforts landed her on the All-C-USA First Team and the C-USA All-Tournament Team as Defensive MVP.
 
This season, the top eight teams will earn a spot in the 2018 Conference USA Championship, hosted by Old Dominion, Oct. 31-Nov.4. The league’s 24^th season kicks off Friday, Aug. 17.

2018 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Team
Megan Greene, Charlotte, Jr., F
Ebba Blomqvist, Florida Atlantic, Sr., D/MF
Nomvula Kgoale, Louisiana Tech, Sr., D
*Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee, So., F
^Dominique James, North Texas, Jr., D
Iris Achterhof, Old Dominion, Sr., F
Maya Hoyer, Rice, Jr., GK
Annie Walker, Rice, Sr., F
Ola Akinniyi, Southern Miss, Sr., D/F
Kelsey Daugherty, UAB, Sr., GK
Victoria Bohdan, UTEP, So., F
*Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
^Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

2018 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
(First-Place Votes)
1. Rice (10)
2. North Texas (3)
3. Charlotte
4. Old Dominion
5. Florida Atlantic
6. UAB
7. Louisiana Tech
8. Middle Tennessee
9. WKU
10. UTEP
11. Marshall
12. Southern Miss (1)
13. UTSA
14. FIU