DALLAS – North Texas, the 2019 Conference USA Women's Soccer Champion, and Florida Atlantic, the 2019 C-USA regular-season champion, have been selected as the spring 2021 preseason divisional favorites by the league's 14 head coaches. For the third consecutive year, Middle Tennessee forward
Peyton DePriest was picked as the C-USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Florida Atlantic sophomore defender
Luisa Daikeler was tabbed as the league's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Last year, the Mean Green claimed the championship by beating Florida Atlantic 5-2 in the title game for North Texas' fourth C-USA title. North Texas finished 15-6-1 overall and played in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Florida Atlantic went 8-1-1 in C-USA play to hold off North Texas for the C-USA regular season title. The Owls were 15-4-2 overall and advanced to the C-USA championship match.
Conference USA will have a two-division setup (East and West) for spring 2021. Florida Atlantic was selected as the East Division favorite, and North Texas was chosen by the coaches to win the West Division.
As a junior in 2019, DePriest was Conference USA's Player of the Year and repeated as C-USA's Offensive Player of the Year after she led the league overall in goals scored (18), goals per game (1.12), points per game (2.38) and shots per game (4.28). The first-team All-Conference USA choice also ranked second in points (38), despite missing three matches due to injury. In C-USA action, DePriest led the league in goals (11), goals per game (1.1), points (24) and points per game (2.40). The Franklin, Tennessee senior forward was also a second team C-USA All-Academic selection.
Daikeler had a tremendous debut for the Owls in 2019 as she was selected as Conference USA Co-Freshman of the Year and second team All-Region. She was also selected to third team All-Conference USA honors and to a spot on C-USA's All-Freshman Team. After an early-season injury, she started 10 of 15 games and the Owls were 7-1-1 with her in the starting lineup. She was selected as the C-USA Defender of the Week once during the season, and the Illerrieden, Germany native made a penalty kick helped FAU beat Louisiana Tech in the opening round of the Conference USA Championship.
The league’s spring 2021 season kicks off Wednesday, Feb. 3, culminating with the C-USA Championship, hosted by Rice, April 13-17.
Spring 2021 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Team
Julia Patrum, Charlotte, So., MF/F
Luisa Daikeler, Florida Atlantic, So., D
Cassidy Wasdin, Florida Atlantic, RS-So., GK
Autumn Woodard, Louisiana Tech, Jr., F
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee, Sr., F
Kelsey Brann, North Texas, RS-Jr., GK
Allie Byrd, North Texas, So., F
Berklee Peters, North Texas, Sr., F
Mijke Roelfsema, Rice, Sr., D
Delaney Schultz, Rice, Jr., MF
Caitlin Pierce, Southern Miss, Sr., D
Ambere Barnett, WKU, Jr., MF
Ellis Patterson, UTSA, Sr., F
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee, Sr., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Luisa Daikeler, Florida Atlantic, So., D
Spring 2021 C-USA Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll
East Division
1. Florida Atlantic
2. Charlotte
3. WKU
4. Middle Tennessee
5. Marshall
6. FIU
7. Old Dominion
West Division
1. North Texas
2. Rice
3. UTSA
4. Louisiana Tech
5. UTEP
6. UAB
7. Southern Miss