The Covenant women's soccer team has been picked to finish fourth in the USA South's West Division as the league announced its preseason coaches poll on Wednesday.
Covenant, coming off a 10-5-1 season in 2015, garnered 31 total points to place fourth in the division. The Lady Scots, under 23-year head coach Mark Duble, return 19 players and six starters off last season's squad which went 8-3-1 in the USA South and advanced to the conference tournament.
Maryville and Piedmont tied for the top spot in the division with 45 points apiece, but Piedmont tallied five first place votes while Maryville had three. USA South newcomer Salem was selected third with 38 points and Agnes Scott was fifth with 25 points. LaGrange (18 points), Huntingdon (13 points) and Wesleyan (nine points) rounded out the division rankings.
In the East, Meredith and Methodist shared the top spot with 46 total points and four first place votes each. Ferrum (32 points), N.C. Wesleyan (31 points) and Greensboro (27 points) completed the top five in the division.
The USA South Tournament will begin on Oct. 28 at campus sites. The top six teams from each division will qualify for the tournament.
Covenant begins its season on Sept. 1 at Berry in Rome, Ga. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
The Covenant men's soccer team has been picked to finish sixth in the USA South in 2016 preseason poll.
The Scots, under eighth-year head coach Nathan Pifer, totaled 55 points in the poll. Covenant went 5-11-2 overall and 4-4-2 in the USA South during the 2015 season. The Scots return 14 players from last season's roster, including four starters.
Greensboro and Methodist tied for the top spot in the poll with 91 total points and four first place votes apiece. Methodist is the defending conference tournament champion. Maryville is third, but just three points off the top, with 88 total points and three first place votes. N.C. Wesleyan (72 points) and Averett (66 points) completed the top five spots in the poll. Ferrum, Huntingdon, Piedmont, William Peace and LaGrange rounded out the 11-team field.
The 2016 USA South Men's Soccer Tournament will once again be conducted exclusively on campus sites. The top eight teams after the conclusion of regular season competition will advance to the tournament. The first round games of the tournament will be held on the campuses of the higher seeded team and will take place on Saturday, Oct. 29. The winners of those contests will travel to the highest-remaining seed for the semifinals and final which will take place Friday-Saturday, Nov. 4-5.
Covenant opens the season at Scotland Yard against Berry on Sept. 1 at 7 p.m.