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Aggies Picked Second in SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Entering their fifth season in the Southeastern Conference, the Texas A&M Aggies were selected second in the 2016 SEC Preseason Soccer Coaches' Poll, the league announced on Thursday.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Entering their fifth season in the Southeastern Conference, the Texas A&M Aggies were selected second in the 2016 SEC Preseason Soccer Coaches' Poll, the league announced on Thursday.
 
The Aggies were edged out by the Florida Gators in voting by the league's 14 head coaches. Texas A&M received 154 points (four first-place votes) and trailed only the Gators, who accumulated 165 points, including 10 first-place votes. Auburn, South Carolina and LSU rounded out the top five.
 
Points were compiled on a 13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, basis though each coach was not allowed to vote for their own squad.
 
Texas A&M and Florida have accounted for every SEC title (regular-season and tournament) since the Aggies joined the league in 2012. The teams shared the regular-season title in 2013, Texas A&M won the outright title in 2014 and Florida captured crowns in 2012 and 2015. The Aggies own tournament crowns from 2013 and 2014 and the Gators won the titles in 2012 and 2015.
 
In 2015, the Aggies finished the season with a 17-7-2 record. They became the first team to ever knock North Carolina out of the NCAA Championship before the Sweet Sixteen round and topped Ole Miss in a penalty kick shootout to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the sixth time in school history.
 
Texas A&M is buoyed by a cast of 10 returning starters, including All-American midfielder Mikaela Harvey and All-SEC forward Haley Pounds.
 
The 24th season of Texas A&M women's soccer commences on Friday, August 19 when the Aggies host the No. 1 Florida State Seminoles in a 7:30 pm contest at Ellis Field.

2016 SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
    Team             Points
 1. Florida (10)      165
 2. Texas A&M (4)     154
 3. Auburn            141
 4. South Carolina    135
 5. LSU               108
 6. Missouri          105
 7. Kentucky           98
 8. Ole Miss           85
 9. Tennessee          84
10. Vanderbilt         56
11. Georgia            52
12. Arkansas           35
13. Alabama            29
14. Mississippi State  27

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