Tuesday, August 7, 2018
PORTLAND, Ore. – Coming off a pair of impressive seasons in 2017, both Western Washington and Concordia have garnered top-tier rankings to open the 2018 campaign.
The Vikings find themselves ranked No. 7 in the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Division II National Preseason Poll, with the Cavaliers following closely behind at No. 19.
The pair of GNAC representatives join UC San Diego (No. 5) and Sonoma State (No. 25) as the only West Region teams included in the preseason top-25 rankings. Western Washington moved up one spot to open the season after finishing at No. 8 in 2017, while Concordia held steady at No. 19.
During the 2017 campaign, the Cavaliers captured the conference’s regular season championship after finishing unbeaten with a record of 11-0-1 in GNAC play. The Vikings then bested Concordia at the GNAC Championships, getting a 1-0 victory in double overtime to take the title in Portland.
Both teams would go on to post victories in the 2017 Division II Women’s Soccer Championship. After receiving a first-round bye, Western Washington topped Sonoma State, 2-0, before ultimately being eliminated by UC San Diego. The Cavaliers were also knocked out by the Tritons, falling 2-1 in their second-round match after defeating Chico State in their opener.
Viking head coach Travis Connell returns nine starters from that championship club, highlighted by GNAC Newcomer of the Year and GNAC Championships MVP Karli White. The senior forward tallied 10 goals and eight assists in her standout 2017 season.
Eight starters are back for Concordia and head coach Grant Landy. That group will be paced by GNAC Player of the Year and United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team selection Gabrielle Ewing. The senior midfielder dominated the center of the pitch a year ago, posting eight goals and eight assists for the Cavaliers.
Both teams are scheduled to open regular season play on August 30. Western Washington will travel to San Diego to face Point Loma on opening day, while Concordia will meet Humboldt State in Rohnert Park, Calif.