ATLANTA - The Piedmont women's soccer team was picked to finish tied for second in the Collegiate Conference of the South Preseason Coaches Poll, released Tuesday afternoon.
Maryville, which won the CCS Regular Season and Tournament Championship in 2023 and 2024, was picked to three-peat with seven of the nine first-place votes and 63 total points.
The Lions finished 2024 in a tie for second with a 5-2-1 conference record for the second consecutive season. Piedmont's regular season was highlighted by a thrilling 2-1 home victory over Belhaven behind a standout performance in goal from rookie field player
Madison Johnson and a game-winner from
Molly Fitzpatrick in the second half.
Piedmont trails only the two-time defending champion Scots and is tied with Belhaven, which also garnered 49 total points and one first-place vote. The Lions and Blazers narrowly sit ahead of Asbury, which tallied 46 points and the final first-place vote.
Covenant slots in at the number five spot with 42 points with a significant gap between them and the remainder of the league. Huntingdon (26), LaGrange (24), Agnes Scott (16) and Wesleyan (9) round out the league.
This season, every player that scored multiple goals returns for the Lions, led by the versatile three-time All-CCS and two-time All-Region performer
Sierra Judson. Two-time All-CCS honoree
Paige Kluba is also back while breakout freshmen
Alison Witkiewicz and
Addi Banks return for their sophomore campaigns.
Piedmont is scheduled to open its 2025 season with four consecutive road games, starting this Friday, Aug. 29 against Trinity Washington at 3 p.m.
The CCS Women's Soccer Championship Tournament kicks off Saturday, November 1, and concludes with the championship match on Saturday, November 8, hosted by the highest seeded team involved in each contest.
2025 CCS WOMEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
|
Ranking
|
School
|
Points
|
|
1
|
Maryville College
|
63 points (7)
|
|
T2
|
Piedmont University
|
49 points
|
|
T2
|
Belhaven University
|
49 points (1)
|
|
4
|
Asbury University
|
46 points (1)
|
|
5
|
Covenant College
|
42 points
|
|
6
|
Huntingdon College
|
26 points
|
|
7
|
LaGrange College
|
24 points
|
|
8
|
Agnes Scott College
|
16 points
|
|
9
|
Wesleyan College
|
9 points
|
