All preseason indications point toward another dominant season for the Colorado Mines women’s soccer team.
The Orediggers are fresh off the regular season and tournament championships in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and qualified for the NCAA Division II national semifinals.
They were ranked No. 4 nationally in the preseason poll and received eight of 12 first-place votes to top the RMAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 117 points.
Mines goalkeeper Jayln Yates was selected as both the RMAC Preseason Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year.
She was a first-team All-American last season and led the nation in save percentage at the back of a Mines defense that only allowed seven goals all season.
Regis’ Maggies Saras and Mines’ Emily Garnier were picked as Preseason Co-Defensive Players of the Year.
Fort Lewis College junior Jordan Hix was selected to the Preseason All-RMAC Team after being named All-RMAC Second Team at the end of last season.
Hix did not score in 2014 despite putting 11 shots on goal but provided leadership to an FLC team that exuded youth last season. In Monday’s night’s season-opening exhibition at the University of New Mexico, Hix recorded an assist on a goal by freshman Renee Terrell.
The Skyhawks were picked fourth in the preseason poll with 86 points, trailing No. 2 Metro State (109 points) and Regis (97).
The Roadrunners picked up three first-place votes, while Regis got the remaining one.
CSU-Pueblo followed FLC in fifth with 71 points, while Western State got 61 for sixth.
UC-Colorado Springs, New Mexico Highlands, Colorado Mesa and Adams State rounded out the top-10, respectively.
Colorado Christian was 11th, and Westminster was picked 12th in the Griffins’ first season in the RMAC.
FLC went 6-8-5 last year relying heavily on underclassmen across the field. The team lost only one senior from that squad.
The Skyhawks will open the 2015 regular season Sept. 3 against Midwestern State and their former head coach Damian Clarke in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Their first RMAC game is Sept. 18 at CSU-Pueblo, and the Skyhawks will play their first game at Dirks Field on Sept. 25 against Colorado Mesa.
