Greenville, SC – In the 2025 Conference Carolinas Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, defending tournament champion, Francis Marion University was picked atop the poll with 2023 champion UNC Pembroke in second place.
The Patriots won the Conference Carolinas East Division a season ago before taking the tournament title over Belmont Abbey College on a goal in the final 10 seconds. Francis Marion earned 206 points and nine first place votes in the poll as they are followed by UNC Pembroke's 199 points and two first place votes.
Lees-McRae College, the 2024 northwest division champions, took four first place votes and is picked third with 193 points. 2024 runner-up, Belmont Abbey isn't far behind with 191 points. Young Harris College won the southwest division in 2024 and is picked fifth in the preseason poll with 154 points.
Converse University is sixth with 145 points, the University of Mount Olive is seventh with 137 points, and they are followed by North Greenville University at eighth with 115 points and the final first place vote. Barton College, 115 points, and Emmanuel University, 105 points, round out the top 10.
Chowan University (94), Southern Wesleyan University (79), King University (64), Ferrum College (63), Erskine College (39), Shorter University (23), rounded out the poll.
The Warriors secured a 12th place slot in the preseason poll after finishing the 2024 season with a 6-7-4 overall record. Southern Wesleyan went 4-5-3 in Conference Carolinas action with wins again Shorter and Erskine. All-Conference defender Karina Pashkovets will return to the pitch for the Warriors after leading the team with eight goals and one assist last season. Joining her offensively are Jessie Parrott (seven goals and four assists) and Alli Dalton (four goals and three assists). The Warriors return both Amanda Magnin and Katelyn O'Neill in the net after they led the team with 41 saves apiece. Southern Wesleyan will have twelve new faces take the field the fall including conference players to watch, Laugane Dion and Camila Blanco.
Southern Wesleyan will kick off the season on September 6 as they host the Shaw Bears on Childs Field at 1pm. They will hit the road for their first Conference Carolinas match of the season on September 13 as they travel to Belmont, NC to take on the Belmont Abbey Crusaders. The Warriors will host their first Conference Carolinas match on September 27 as they welcome the Shorter Hawks to the field. On November 1, prior to kick-off, they will celebrate their seniors.
"We had a great pre-season training camp, and we feel confident and ready to start competing," commented Head Coach Al Meneses. "The team chemistry continues to improve, with a hard-working group of returners and new players. Our first game will be a challenging one as we take on D1 Winthrop; we are looking forward to the challenge and seeing our team in action for the first time this year. Our season ahead looks promising as we continue to build a strong team and program here at SWU. Come support your Warriors!"
The 2025 Conference Carolinas Women's Soccer Championship is scheduled to start with preliminary rounds on November 5 and 8 before the semifinals and final will be competed at Truist Soccer Complex at Bryan Park in Browns Summit, North Carolina on November 14 and 16.
The preseason poll was voted on by the league's head coaches and they can't vote for their own school.
