IRVINE, Calif. – For the second straight season, the Concordia University Irvine women's soccer squad was voted to finish second in the PacWest Conference Coaches Preseason Poll.
The coaches project Point Loma as the preseason favorite, followed by CUI, Hawai'i Hilo, Dominican and Vanguard in the top five.
This is the second straight season that PLNU, CUI and UHH were picked to finish as the top three teams in that order. They all garnered at least one first-place vote again as well.
CUI is also receiving votes in the
US Coaches NCAA DII Top 25 Preseason Poll along with Point Loma, Dominican and a host of CCAA schools. There are 10 total programs combined from the PacWest, GNAC and CCAA that are either ranked in the Top 25 or receiving votes to start the season.
TALENTED TRIO LEADS THE WAY
Concordia returns three All-PacWest selections from last season's squad that only allowed seven goals all season. All returning All-Conference student-athletes across the league make up the "PacWest Players To Watch" list.
PacWest Player of the Year
Bella Barrett is now a senior and was First Team All-PacWest in 2025. Barrett net six game-winning goals as a junior – and all of them were quick strikes that came remarkably in the first 17 minutes of action (in the 17th, 4th, 5th, 12th, 3rd & 3rd minutes of matches. The Villa Park HS alum tied the school record with six game-winners in one season and ranks second all-time at CUI with nine career game-winning goals.
Defender
Sloane De Torres returns to help solidify the back line. The former Azusa Pacific commit started every match last season and was Second Team All-PacWest. She was a key reason why CUI earned 11 clean sheets a year ago and had a +18 goal differential.
Ashley Grubert is also back for her senior campaign after earning Third Team All-Conference honors. The local Irvine High School alum has made two All-PacWest teams during her collegiate career and played all 90 minutes in 13 of last year's 17 games. Grubert tallied the game-winning goal against San Francisco State and had an assist in a road win at Biola.
THE GOAL IS LOTS OF GOALS
In addition to that trio, CUI returns additional starters in sophomores
Kalli Cho and
Avery Munoz, as well as senior forward
Antonella Russo, who could all be in line as future All-PacWest selections. West Covina native
Sarah Venegas also provides a scoring punch to the attack and is now a senior who was Third Team All-PacWest as a sophomore.
Ella Cook and
Irandy Erazo have a knack for helping win possessions and are joined by
Anjelina Nieto and redshirt freshman
Natalie Lobo as returning forwards.
Freshman faces include midfielders
Jocelyn Barzegar (Fairmont Prep),
Mia Psarras (Mission Viejo HS),
Elaina Ramos (El Dorado HS),
Molly Skolil (San Pedro HS),
Lana Stewart (Pacific Christian HS) and
Katelynn Welch (Crean Lutheran HS).
THE GOAL IS NO GOALS
Bella Miseroy is the lone returning goalkeeper for CUI after coming over from San Francisco State a couple seasons ago. She is joined by newcomers
Addison Franko and
Christina Sidoti who together will help protect the net. Franko is a freshman from El Toro High School while Sidoti joins the Green and Gold from D1 school UC Riverside. Sidoti is a La Habra High School alum and even played kicker for their football team during her time there.
Concordia graduated four-year starter and former PacWest Goalkeeper of the Year
Riley Urquiza in May.
Ashlee Austin is now in her fourth year as one of the team leaders and joined by
Alice Araya,
Brinn Paulson,
Reagan Van Horn and
Mikayla Gonzalez who will provide support in various ways across the pitch.
New defenders who have transferred in include
Tess Doucette, a junior from Orange Coast College, and
Savannah Estrada, a redshirt junior from CSUN who is a Mater Dei HS alum.
Camryn Flores and
Svea Hazlett are freshman defenders joining the fun. Flores hails from Los Alamitos HS and Hazlett is from Yorba Linda.
CLICK HERE for the full CUI women's soccer roster
THE SLATE AHEAD
Concordia's schedule includes lots of good tests in the first month of the season. The Green and Gold are slated to face two nationally-ranked squads (No. 2 Cal Poly Pomona and No. 24 Simon Fraser at home on Sept. 12) along with three teams that are also receiving votes in the US Coaches Preseason Poll.
Concordia opens the regular season in Northern California with two matches up at Cal Poly Humboldt. The Golden Eagles will face Stanislaus State first on a neutral playing field on Thursday, August 27 at 12:30 p.m. PT.
Then on Saturday, Aug. 29 CUI will face the host Lumberjacks at 11:30 a.m. PT.
The home opener for the ladies will be on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6:30 p.m. against Cal State San Bernardino. CUI's conference opener is against Hawai'i Hilo in a PacWest clash on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 3:30 p.m. followed by the men's soccer match between those two schools.
CLICK HERE for the full CUI women's soccer schedule
CLICK HERE for the full PacWest women's soccer preview
