The 2017 women’s soccer season is nearly underway as IU is set to open its regular season Aug. 18, with the Hoosier Challenge Cup. The team will begin the year by hosting the tournament at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
The No. 13-ranked Clemson Tigers, Cal Poly Mustangs and Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville Cougars will join IU in a weekend tournament, during which each team plays two games. The Hoosiers' home opener will be 7:30 p.m. Friday night at against Cal Poly. IU wraps up the weekend with a matchup against No. 13 Clemson at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
Earlier this week, the Big Ten Conference league office released the 2017 women’s soccer preseason coaches’ poll. According to the conference’s 14 head coaches, the Penn State Nittany Lions are this year’s favorite to take home the Big Ten title after earning a share of the conference championship last season.
IU has been selected to finish ninth in this year’s preseason poll. The Hoosiers ended the 2016 season in ninth place as well after posting an overall record of 7-9-4 and going 4-4-3 in conference play.
Several Hoosiers were named to the preseason honors list for the Big Ten. Redshirt junior forward Mykayla Brown, sophomore midfielder Allison Jorden and sophomore defender Meghan Scott were recognized by the conference ahead of the upcoming season.
Jorden and Scott both started every game for the Hoosiers last season as freshmen.
Jorden scored a pair of goals for IU in 2016, while Scott tallied seven assists to lead the team in that category.
Brown led IU in scoring in 2016 with a total of eight goals, including three game-winning goals.
Austin Ghirardelli
