BOISE, Idaho — One year after one of their best seasons in school history, the Boise State women's soccer team is making history again.
On Tuesday, coaches in the Mountain West Conference voted the Broncos as the 2019 champions in its annual preseason poll, narrowly edging San Jose State.
"I think it’s nice to be acknowledged by your peers," head coach Jim Thomas said. "But our main focus is to be the postseason number one ranked team rather than the preseason number one ranked team."
The Spartans edged Boise State in penalty kicks in the conference semi-finals last season, and would later go on to claim the conference championship.
The Broncos return 21 players this season, including two-time Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Raimee Sherle, who finished tied for most goals scored in the NCAA last season with 20.
Thomas says this year's squad has several strengths, but one really stands out.
"Pace, it's faster than ever... we have pace coming off the bench. This team is going to be really exciting to unshackle, let fly, and see how fast they can really, really go.”
The Broncos' 2019 roster is loaded with Treasure Valley talent, including Haley Apple (Timberline, 2019), Macie Nelson (Borah, 2018), Sydney Smith (Caldwell, 2018), Tatum Seastrand (Bishop Kelly, 2019), Aubree Chatterton (Bishop Kelly, 2017), Kennedi Paul (Capital, 2018), Julia Lewis (Boise, 2018), Lili Finch (Boise, 2017) and Sherle (Rocky Mountain, 2016).
2019 Mountain West Conference coaches poll:
- Boise State (4)
- San Jose State (3)
- New Mexico (3)
- San Diego State (2)
- UNLV
- Wyoming
- Fresno State
- Colorado College
- Utah State
- Colorado State
- Air Force
- Nevada
The Broncos open the 2019 season at the University of Idaho on Friday, August 23.
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