Coming off its best season in the USA South, the Covenant women's soccer team has been picked to finish third in the West Division as the league released its preseason coaches' poll on Wednesday.
Covenant tallied one first place vote in the division and 39 total points. Piedmont totaled six first place votes and 48 points, while Maryville was second with 41 points and one top vote. Agnes Scott (28 points) and Huntingdon (27 points) completed the top five in the poll on the West side.
The Lady Scots, who went 13-5 overall last year with an 11-3 mark in the USA South, return four starters and several key reserves from last year's squad for 24th-year head coach Mark Duble.
In the East, Meredith and Salem each tallied 44 points, with Meredith garnering four first place votes to Salem's three.
Methodist received the other first place vote and finished with 38 points.
Covenant will again compete in the West Division of the conference in 2017. The Lady Scots are joined by Agnes Scott, Berea, Brevard, Huntingdon, LaGrange, Maryville, Piedmont and Wesleyan in the division. Brevard is a reclassifying member of NCAA Division III and is not eligible for regular season or postseason championships this season.
The top six teams from each division will qualify for the USA South Tournament, which begins on Oct. 25. Semifinals and championship rounds will be hosted by the highest remaining seed on Nov. 3-4.
Covenant opens the season on Sept. 2 at home against Berea in a non-conference contest.