Aug. 15, 2016
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The No. 2 Penn State women's soccer team has been picked to win the 2016 Big Ten regular season title, according to the Big Ten women's soccer preseason poll announced Monday.
After going 22-3-2 last year (8-2-1 in the Big Ten) en route to their first NCAA title and 17th Big Ten crown in the last 18 seasons, the Nittany Lions were the top choice in the 2016 Big Ten preseason poll from the conference's 14 head coaches, who could not vote for their own teams. Rutgers, which reached its first NCAA Women's College Cup in 2015 and was the runner-up at the Big Ten Tournament, placed second in this year's preseason poll, narrowly edging out Big Ten co-champion Wisconsin.
Along with the 2016 Big Ten preseason poll, the Big Ten announced its preseason honors list, formally known as "Players to Watch." Nittany Lion captains Brittany Basinger (Purcellville, Va.), Nickolette Driesse (Wayne, N.J.) and Megan Schafer (Langhorne, Pa.) were named to the preseason honors list.
Penn State returns 18 letterwinners from the 2015 campaign and welcomes nine freshmen to the program for the 2016 season.
The Nittany Lions have sat atop the Big Ten preseason poll every season since the poll began in 2003. They begin the quest for their 18th Big Ten regular season title and 22nd-consecutive NCAA Tournament berth with the Penn State Invitational on Aug. 19 against No. 6 West Virginia at 7:30 p.m. live on the Big Ten Network.
BIG TEN WOMEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
1. Penn State
2. Rutgers
3. Wisconsin
4. Michigan
5. Ohio State
6. Minnesota
7. Northwestern
8. Nebraska
9. Illinois
10. Michigan State
11. Purdue
12. Indiana
13. Iowa
14. Maryland
BIG TEN WOMEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON HONORS LIST
Hope D'Addario, Illinois, Sr., Defender
Kara Marbury, Illinois, Jr., Forward
Taylore Peterson, Illinois, Sr., Midfielder
Marissa Borschke, Indiana, Sr., Defender
Veronica Ellis, Indiana, Sr., Defender
Kayla Smith, Indiana, Jr., Midfielder
Rachele Armand, Iowa, Jr., Defender
Amanda Lulek, Iowa, Sr., Defender
Bri Toelle, Iowa, Sr., Forward
Rachel Egyed, Maryland, So., Goalkeeper
Cassie Phillips, Maryland, So., Midfielder
Madison Turner, Maryland, Jr., Midfielder/Forward
Reilly Martin, Michigan, So., Forward
Ani Sarkisian, Michigan, Jr., Forward
Nicky Waldeck, Michigan, Sr., Forward
Jamie Cheslik, Michigan State, Jr., Forward
Michaela Kovacs, Michigan State, So., Defender
Lexy Warner, Michigan State, So., Forward
Rashida Beal, Minnesota, Sr., Defender
Simone Kolander, Minnesota, Sr., Forward
Josee Stiever, Minnesota, Sr., Midfielder
Caroline Flynn, Nebraska, Sr., Midfielder
Jaycie Johnson, Nebraska, Sr., Forward
Sydney Miramontez, Nebraska, Sr., Defender
Lauren Clem, Northwestern, Jr., Goalkeeper
Kassidy Gorman, Northwestern, Jr., Defender
Michelle Manning, Northwestern, Jr., Forward
Lindsay Agnew, Ohio State, Sr., Forward
Nichelle Prince, Ohio State, Sr., Forward
Nikki Walts, Ohio State, Jr., Midfielder
Brittany Basinger, Penn State, Jr., Defender
Nickolette Driesse, Penn State, Sr., Midfielder
Megan Schafer, Penn State, Jr., Forward
Vanessa Korolas, Purdue, Jr., Defender
Hannah Leinert, Purdue, Sr., Forward
Dannah Williams, Purdue, So., Defender
Colby Ciarrocca, Rutgers, Jr., Forward
Erin Smith, Rutgers, Sr., Defender
Madison Tiernan, Rutgers, Sr., Forward
Grace Bahr, Wisconsin, Fr., Midfielder
Caitlyn Clem, Wisconsin, Jr., Goalkeeper
Rose Lavelle, Wisconsin, Sr., Midfielder