SAN RAMON, Calif. - The University of California San Diego women's soccer team has been picked to top the 2016 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) standings, as voted on in the preseason poll conducted by the conference's 13 head coaches and released on Wednesday.
The favorite's role will not be a new one for the league's perennial power, although it should provide a new feel for the current crop of Tritons who took up the seventh slot in this listing just one year ago. UCSD parlayed that prognostication into a fourth-place regular-season finish en route to an improbable, record ninth CCAA Tournament banner in dominating fashion, out-scoring its three opponents, 10-3.
UCSD compiled 136 points and six of 13 first-place votes. Sonoma State, the 2015 regular-season champion, is just behind with 132 points from five first-place nods. The Tritons routed the top-seeded Seawolves, ranked 10th nationally at the time, 3-0, in the CCAA semifinals in Pomona last Nov. 6. SSU was unbeaten over its last 15 (12-0-3) and had allowed just five goals on the year heading into that meeting. The 2016 poll's remaining two first-place votes went to Cal State LA in third (117).
Chico State settled into fourth (111), while Stanislaus State, which dropped the 2015 CCAA final to UC San Diego by a 3-2 count, was fifth (104). Cal Poly Pomona rounded out the predicted six-team tournament field with a total of 87 points.
The Tritons went 15-6-1 overall and 7-4-1 in CCAA play a year ago. Having completed the 2014 regular season 5-0-1 over its last six, UCSD turned that same trick, or switch, in the 2015 stretch run, winning six straight leading up to a 2-1 loss to Seattle Pacific in the first round of the NCAA Championship in Bellingham, Wash.
Brian McManus enters his milestone 30th season in charge with the most wins, 465, in NCAA Division II women's soccer history. He is tied for fourth among all divisions.
McManus will have to replace just one starter in goalkeeper Kelcie Brodsky. The rest of a strong, veteran lineup returns, led by four All-CCAA First Team selections and area products in senior center back Meghan Berry (Mt. Carmel HS), junior winger Jordyn McNutt (University City HS), and the prolific strike tandem of junior Katie O'Laughlin (Pacific Ridge School) and sophomore Mary Reilly (Hilltop HS).
Reilly, the CCAA Freshman of the Year, and O'Laughlin, were statistically the league's top scoring duo, finishing 1-2 in goals scored at 11 and 10, respectively. Reilly in fact paced the conference in most offensive categories, including total points (28), game-winning goals (tied-four), shots (80) and shots on goal (52). McNutt provided a CCAA- and career-best 10 assists, while Berry was a revelation anchoring the back line after moving from central midfield during the 2015 preseason camp.
For a second straight season, winger Kiera Bocchino will captain the side with Berry. A third senior, Itzel Gonzalez, takes over for Brodsky in goal. She and Bocchino are in fact the program's longest-standing members, both entering their fifth year.
Jamie Benedetto, like Berry, Bocchino, McNutt and Reilly, started all 22 matches in 2015. Kristen Sampietro (18), Brie Diaz (13), Aimee Ellis (13), Maxia Espino (11) and Taylor Ramos (10) all drew double-digit starts. Elisa Martinez earned her way into McManus' lineup in central midfield for each of the final nine games, and fellow junior Makenzie Brito the last seven as an outside defender. Benedetto and Bocchino were All-CCAA Second Team picks, with Diaz garnering honorable mention in her first year on campus after a transfer from UC Riverside.
Twelve CCAA teams launch their 2016 season next Thursday, Sept. 1, with the first bit of league activity taking place on Wednesday, Sept. 14. For the third year in a row, the CCAA slate will consist of a single round robin, with all teams facing off once against each other for 12 matches total, and the top six sides in the final regular-season standings qualifying for the 2016 CCAA Tournament. The conference semifinals and final will be hosted by Stanislaus State for the sixth time in the last eight years, at Warrior Stadium in Turlock, Nov. 4-6.
UC San Diego starts things off on Sept. 1 at home against Pacific West Conference side Azusa Pacific, the 2015 West Region runner-up. The Cougars are ranked 12th nationally in the preseason. Kickoff at Triton Soccer Stadium is slated for 7 p.m., after the UCSD and APU men's teams meet in their respective openers at 4:30 p.m.
Admission to regular-season contests in La Jolla is once again free. For the first time, all home dates will feature a live video stream, in high definition via annual subscription service ($34.99) or single-day pay-per-view ($5.99), at UCSDtritons.tv.
2016 CCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. UC San Diego, 136 (6)
2. #24 Sonoma State, 132 (5)
3. Cal State LA, 117 (2)
4. Chico State, 111
5. Stanislaus State, 104
6. Cal Poly Pomona, 87
7. SF State, 66
8. Cal State San Bernardino, 65
9. Humboldt State, 64
10. Cal State Monterey Bay, 40
11. Cal State San Marcos, 39
12. Cal State East Bay, 38
13. Cal State Dominguez Hills, 15
(first-place votes)
#AllForOne
