NEW ORLEANS – In its inaugural season in the Sun Belt Conference, James Madison women’s soccer is picked to finish second in the East Division via a poll of the league’s 14 head coaches, the conference announced Monday afternoon.
The Dukes received one first-place vote as last season’s Conference USA champion Old Dominion was picked to win the East with 10 first-place votes. Georgia State received three first-place votes to follow JMU, with Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, Marshall and App State rounding out the division.
The reigning Sun Belt champion South Alabama was picked to finish first in the West, receiving 12 first-place votes. Arkansas State received the two additional first-place votes to finish behind the Jaguars and were followed by Southern Miss, ULM, Texas State, Louisiana and Troy.
Returning on the scoring front for the Dukes are redshirt sophomore Lexi Vanderlinden and sophomore Amanda Attanasi. Vanderlinden led the team in assists (five), tied the team lead in points (11) and finished tied for second in goals (three). Attanasi tied with Vanderlinden in goals, finishing the season with four additional assists for a total of 10 points.
On the backline, senior captain Mia Pham returns alongside redshirt senior Ashby Larkin and redshirt junior Brittany Munson. The backline allowed 1.26 goals per game a season ago, with six shutouts that included back-to-back clean sheets to clinch a CAA tournament berth. Redshirt sophomore Alexandra Blom returns in goal for the Dukes, posting a 1.24 goals against average and 82 saves last season with five shutouts.
The Dukes kick off the 2022 season on Thursday, Aug. 18 as they host VCU at Sentara Park at 7 p.m.
2022 Sun Belt Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll
East Division
Old Dominion 94 (10)
James Madison 74 (1)
Georgia State 72 (3)
Georgia Southern 62
Coastal Carolina 39
Marshall 26
App State 25
West Division
South Alabama 96 (12)
Arkansas State 68 (2)
Southern Miss 68
ULM 57
Texas State 54
Louisiana 27
Troy 22
2022 Sun Belt Women’s Soccer Preseason Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Gracie Wilson, South Alabama
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Gabrielle Gayle, South Alabama
2022 Women’s Soccer Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
F – Elis Nemtsov, Georgia Southern
F – Morgan Cross, South Alabama
F – Brooklynn Fugel, Georgia State
F – Aliyah Wilson, Arkansas State
MF – Gracie Wilson, South Alabama
MF – Karleen Bedre, Louisiana
MF – Ilana Izquierdo, Southern Miss
D – Gabrille Gayle, South Alabama
D – Ruthny Mathurin, Louisiana
D – Sade Heinrichs, Georgia Southern
D – Eve Diez Louis, Georgia State
GK – Kasey Perry, Old Dominion
*- Ties were not broken
— JMU Athletics —
