College: Lady Blue Jays chosen third in SLIAC soccer preseason poll

The Westminster College Lady Blue Jays soccer team has been picked to finish third in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this season in the preseason coaches' poll announced Monday.

Westminster - entering its second season under head coach Wendy Sanchez - received 63 points and one first-place vote in the poll. Webster University was selected to win the SLIAC regular-season title with 81 points and nine first-place votes, followed by Fontbonne University in second place with 65 points.

The Lady Blue Jays were 11-5-3 overall last season and finished 6-2-1 in the SLIAC before securing the postseason tournament championship. Westminster eventually lost to Washington University in the first round of the NCAA Division III national tournament.

The Lady Blue Jays bring back three all-SLIAC selections from 2018. Junior forward Natalie Schulte was a second-team choice, while senior midfielder Madison Ekern and senior goalkeeper Sarah Cradick were both third-team picks.

Westminster opens the 2019 season at home against Simpson (Iowa) College at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30.

Ryan Boland can be reached at (573) 826-2422, or on Twitter @FultonSunSports.