SAN FRANCISCO — Ranked No.3 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, STANFORD was voted to win the 2019 Pac-12 women’s soccer title by the league’s coaches for the fourth year in a row, the Conference office announced on Tuesday. Fellow preseason national top five programs UCLA and USC were picked second and third, respectively, in the leagues preseason ranking.

Stanford secured its fourth-consecutive Pac-12 crown, and made its ninth all-time and second-straight NCAA Women’s College Cup appearance last season. The Cardinal has won eight Pac-12 titles in the last 10 years and 13 all-time. Eight-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year Paul Ratcliffe’s squad welcomes back two-time espnW Player of the Year and MAC Hermann Trophy winner Catarina Macario, and five All-Pac-12  honorees.

UCLA, ranked No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason national poll, was picked to finish second in the Conference after making its 22nd NCAA Tournament appearance as a No. 2 seed last season. The Bruins finished with a 17-3-2 (9-1-0) record in 2018 and are setting their roster up for success this fall with the addition of TopDrawerSoccer’s second-best recruiting class in the country. Ten starters return this fall including 2019 Women's World Cup participant and All-Pac-12 first team honoree Jessie Fleming, as well as first team All-American and MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist Ashley Sanchez.

No. 5 nationally ranked USC came in at third in the Pac-12 preseason poll after posting a 17-2-3 overall record, 8-2-1 Conference mark and a third-round NCAA Tournament run in 2018. The Trojans bring in the third-best recruiting class in the nation according to TopDrawerSoccer, along with All-Americans Savannah DeMelo and Kaylie Collins, the reigning Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year, and 2018 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Penelope Hocking. 

WASHINGTON STATE was slotted fourth in the poll after going 13-6-1 and earning its second-straight, and 12th all-time, NCAA Tournament berth. The Cougs won their first 10 matches of the 2018 season and were the last undefeated team in the nation. Senior forward and All-Pac-12 first team honoree Morgan Weaver return to the pitch for the Cougar offense in 2019.

COLORADO was picked fifth coming off a record-breaking 13-4-3 season. The Buffs led the country in assists (52), while setting the single-season program record for goals (47) and assists during their banner 2018 campaign. Returnees include All-Pac-12 first team and second team All-American Taylor Kornieck, and an experienced All-Pac-12 third team goalkeeper in Jalen Tompkins. 

CALIFORNIA weighed in at sixth in the poll, followed by ARIZONA at seventh, UTAH at eighth, ARIZONA STATE placing ninth, WASHINGTON at 10th, and OREGON and OREGON STATE rounded out the poll in 11th and 12th, respectively. 

The women’s soccer season kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 22, with eight Conference teams in action. Pac-12 Networks will televise 73 women’s soccer contests in 2019, beginning with Long Beach State at Arizona on opening night, followed by Iowa State at UCLA and Portland at Washington on Friday, Aug. 23. 

- www.pac-12.com -