Titans Projected To Finish Third In WIAC Women’s Soccer Standings
The UW-Oshkosh women's soccer team has been picked to place third in the race for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championship in 2018. The preseason prediction was the result of voting by the league's eight head coaches and sports information directors.
UW-Oshkosh, which has finished among the WIAC's top three teams 11 times in the past 17 seasons, placed third in last year's conference standings with a 3-1-3 league record. The Titans shared the 2015 WIAC title with UW-La Crosse and finished second in the league in 2001, 2005, 2006, 2013 and 2014.
UW-Oshkosh returns 20 of its 31 letter winners from last year's team that compiled an 8-8-4 overall record and allowed just 25 goals. The 2018 team will be guided by head coach Erin Coppernoll for the 15th consecutive season (152-101-30 record).
The Titans welcome back six of their 11 starters from 2017, including sophomore midfielder Addie Schmitz. Schmitz earned All-WIAC First Team honors last year after scoring two goals and leading UW-Oshkosh with four assists, 36 shots and 23 shots on goal.
Other starters returning for the Titans are junior forward Ashley Baalke, senior midfielder Alexis Brewer, sophomore forward Toria Koch, junior midfielder Maddie Morris and junior forward Madison Smith. Brewer scored four goals and Morris three to rank as UW-Oshkosh's top returning goal scorers from last season.
Defending regular season and tournament champion UW-La Crosse was selected to win this year's WIAC title. The Eagles, who enter the 2018 season ranked ninth in the NCAA Division III by the United Soccer Coaches, return 10 starters from last year's team that won all seven WIAC games, tallied a 20-2-3 overall record and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship. UW-La Crosse inherits 20 of its 26 letter winners from 2017, including reigning WIAC Offensive Player of the Year in Margaret Harings and WIAC Defensive Player of the Year in Maya Schmitt.
Listed between UW-La Crosse and UW-Oshkosh in this year's preseason poll was projected second-place finisher UW-Whitewater. The 2016 WIAC champion Warhawks return eight starters and 23 of their 27 letter winners from last year's team that accumulated a 14-4-4 overall record and finished second in the league with a 4-2-1 mark.
Rounding out the WIAC's preseason picks were fourth-place UW-Stout (9-6-5 overall, 3-1-3 WIAC record in 2017), fifth-place UW-Eau Claire (5-11-1, 2-5), sixth-place UW-Stevens Point (9-8-2, 2-3-2 WIAC), seventh-place UW-River Falls (5-14-1, 2-4-1) and eighth-place UW-Platteville (7-11, 0-7).
UW-Oshkosh will host four WIAC opponents this fall, including UW-La Crosse in the league opener on Sept. 29 at J. J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium. UW-La Crosse was the lone WIAC team to defeat UW-Oshkosh last season.
Other home contests for UW-Oshkosh are against UW-Stout on Oct. 6, UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 17 and UW-River Falls on Oct. 20.
The Titans will play their three WIAC road matches at UW-Whitewater on Oct. 3, UW-Eau Claire on Oct. 13 and UW-Platteville on Oct. 27.
UW-Oshkosh, which owns four NCAA Division III postseason appearances (2006, 2011, 2014 and 2015), began practice for its 2018 season on Saturday (Aug. 18).