Lion Soccer Picked to Finish Second in the Southland
FRISCO – The Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team has its target set for the 2023 season after being picked second in the preseason Southland Conference poll on Friday afternoon.
The Lions, who finished third in the regular season a year ago, reached the SLC Tournament championship match in 2022. A&M-Commerce enters its second season in NCAA Division I and the Southland being predicted to finish second, behind defending champion, Lamar.
A&M-Commerce is looking to win its first conference championships since 2016 and is predicted to finish second or better in the preseason conference poll for the first time since 2018.
The second-place ranking for the soccer team is also the highest predicted finish for any sport at A&M-Commerce since moving up to the SLC and Division I.
Under the direction of coach Ashley Gordon, the Lions went 9-9-2 last season in her first season at the helm. The Lions retain four all-conference players from a year ago and welcome a talented transfer and freshmen class for the 2023 season.
Earlier on Friday, Ashley Campuzano (Dallas – Atlas Prep), Mya Mitchell (Dallas – Mesquite Horn), and Mindy Shoffit (Wichita Falls – Rider) earned first team preseason all-conference honors, while Nya Mitchell (Dallas – Mesquite Horn) and Hailey Griffin (Byron Nelson) were named to the second team.
The Southland Conference preseason poll is voted on by each school’s head coach and soccer sports information director. Each voter ranks their predicted order of regular-season finish, not including their own team. First-place votes are worth eight points, second-place votes are worth seven, and so on to one point for eighth place.
The regular season for the Lions begins on August 17 at home against Oral Roberts, while A&M-Commerce hosts Stephen F. Austin in an exhibition contest on Friday night at 7 p.m. Admission is free for all home matches.
2023 SOUTHLAND SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
| 1 | Lamar (14) | 126 |
| 2 | A&M-COMMERCE | 97 |
| 3 | Southeastern | 84 |
| 4 | HCU (2) | 83 |
| 5 | Northwestern State (2) | 81 |
| 6 | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | 68 |
| 7 | McNeese | 53 |
| 8 | UIW | 33 |
| 9 | Nicholls | 23 |
