(HALIFAX, N.S.) The STFX X-Women have claimed the top spot in this year's women's soccer pre-season survey of the head coaches. The results of the 2022 coaches' poll were shared Thursday ahead of regular season play kicking off this weekend.
This marks the third year for the AUS soccer pre-season coaches' poll, which is voted on by the league's 10 head coaches. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
The X-Women, who earned five first-place votes and a total of 75 points in the poll, finished the 2021 regular season in fourth place with a 7-4-1 record. At the Subway AUS Women’s Soccer Championship, STFX played their way to the final, defeating Mount Allison in the quarterfinal and Memorial in the semi-final before falling to Acadia (1-0) in the championship game.
The reigning AUS champs Acadia Axewomen followed the X-Women in the 2022 coaches’ poll, earning 71 points and three first-place votes. Before winning the 2021 championship in Cape Breton last fall, Acadia finished the regular season in third place thanks to their 7-3-2 record. Last year’s championship win was the Axewomen’s first since 1996.
The Cape Breton Capers finished close behind the Axewomen in this year’s poll, with 70 points and the remaining two first-place votes. Last year, the Capers ended the regular season in second place, with an 8-0-4 league record. An overtime semi-final loss (2-1) to the eventual champions, the Axewomen, ended their 2021 AUS championship run. The Capers had won the three previous AUS women's soccer titles.
This year's Subway AUS Women's Soccer Championship tournament will be hosted by Acadia University, October 27-30 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
2022 AUS WOMEN'S SOCCER PRE-SEASON COACHES POLL
|
TEAMS |
TOTAL |
1st Place Votes |
|
|
1. |
STFX |
75 |
5 |
|
2. |
Acadia |
71 |
3 |
|
3. |
Cape Breton |
70 |
2 |
|
4. |
Dalhousie |
59 |
|
|
5. |
Memorial |
49 |
|
|
6. |
UNB |
39 |
|
|
7. |
Saint Mary's |
28 |
|
|
8. |
UPEI |
26 |
|
|
9. |
Mount Allison |
21 |
|
|
10. |
Moncton |
12 |
|
NOTE: Coaches ranked all opponents 1-9. First-place votes worth 9 pts., second-place worth 8 pts. etc.
The 2022 season opens Friday when the STFX X-Women host the Acadia Axewomen and the Saint Mary’s Huskies host the Mount Allison Mounties. All 10 women’s soccer teams will be in action during the weekend. League games and championships will be available live on AUStv at www.AUStv.ca
For a preview of the 2022 AUS women’s soccer season, click here. Find the complete AUS women's soccer schedule here.