BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The Texas A&M Aggies shared the top spot in the SEC Preseason Soccer Coaches' Poll with the Arkansas Razorbacks, the league announced Tuesday.
Arkansas and Texas A&M split the first-place votes and shared the top perch. South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Tennessee rounded out the top five. SEC West compatriots Ole Miss, Auburn, Alabama and LSU were slotted six through nine followed by Florida and Mississippi State. The predicted cellar dwellers included Missouri, Georgia and Kentucky.
The Aggies and Razorbacks tied for the SEC championship with 7-1-0 league records last fall. It marked the third time Texas A&M claimed a regular-season SEC crown. With two All-Americans, Jimena Lopez and Addie McCain, leaving the roster in January to pursue professional playing careers, the Maroon & White battled in the spring to earn their 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid and advanced to the Elite Eight for the seventh time in program history.
Texas A&M boasts a returning All-American in Karlina Sample and two All-Southeast Region performers in Sample and Barbara Olivieri. Other key players among the 19 returnees are defenders Katie Smith (1,560) and Macie Kolb (1,549) who paced the team in minutes played in 2020-21.
The Aggies, ranked No. 9 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll, open the season against No. 1 Florida State on Thursday evening in Tallahassee. First kick is slated for 6 p.m.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Arkansas
1. Texas A&M
3. South Carolina
4. Vanderbilt
5. Tennessee
6. Ole Miss
7. Auburn
8. Alabama
9. LSU
10. Florida
11. Mississippi State
12. Missouri
13. Georgia
14. Kentucky
Arkansas and Texas A&M split the first-place votes and shared the top perch. South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Tennessee rounded out the top five. SEC West compatriots Ole Miss, Auburn, Alabama and LSU were slotted six through nine followed by Florida and Mississippi State. The predicted cellar dwellers included Missouri, Georgia and Kentucky.
The Aggies and Razorbacks tied for the SEC championship with 7-1-0 league records last fall. It marked the third time Texas A&M claimed a regular-season SEC crown. With two All-Americans, Jimena Lopez and Addie McCain, leaving the roster in January to pursue professional playing careers, the Maroon & White battled in the spring to earn their 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid and advanced to the Elite Eight for the seventh time in program history.
Texas A&M boasts a returning All-American in Karlina Sample and two All-Southeast Region performers in Sample and Barbara Olivieri. Other key players among the 19 returnees are defenders Katie Smith (1,560) and Macie Kolb (1,549) who paced the team in minutes played in 2020-21.
The Aggies, ranked No. 9 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll, open the season against No. 1 Florida State on Thursday evening in Tallahassee. First kick is slated for 6 p.m.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Arkansas
1. Texas A&M
3. South Carolina
4. Vanderbilt
5. Tennessee
6. Ole Miss
7. Auburn
8. Alabama
9. LSU
10. Florida
11. Mississippi State
12. Missouri
13. Georgia
14. Kentucky