San Antonio - The votes of the head coaches are tallied, and the Trinity women's soccer team has been picked to capture a ninth consecutive Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Championship.
Led by second-year head coach Dylan Harrison, the Tigers hold a #5 preseason national ranking by United Soccer Coaches (formerly National Soccer Coaches Association of America). Last season, Trinity posted the best win-loss record in the NCAA Division III, recording a mark of 23-1-0.
The Tigers were flawless in the SCAC, going 12-0-0. Trinity brought home its 21st overall SCAC Championship trophy after beating Southwestern (TX) University 2-1 in the title matchup at Kerrville, Texas. Counting that championship tilt, the Tigers have won a Division III-best 96 straight matches against conference opponents.
Trinity advanced to its 22nd NCAA Tournament and won the first three rounds of the postseason event. The Tigers first beat Mount Union (OH) College 2-1 and then defeated Hanover (IN) College 3-1. Trinity hosted the next two rounds and shut out Penn State Berks in the third round. Eventual NCAA champion Washington University-St. Louis (MO) edged the Tigers 1-0 in the quarterfinals. The NSCAA ranked the Tigers at #6 at the end of the season. D3soccer.com posted a final ranking of fifth in the nation.
The returning group is strong, as seven starters from the 2016 campaign will lead the Tigers this season. Included in the starting positions are All-Region recipients Julia Camp, Julia Kelly, and Colleen Markey. Additionally, six of the eight All-SCAC honorees return for the 2017 season.
Trinity opens its title quest September 1-2 at Virginia Beach, Virginia. Christopher Newport (VA) is the Tigers' opponent September 1. The next day, Trinity meets host Virginia Wesleyan University.
The team's home-opener is scheduled for Labor Day, Monday, September 4, as the Tigers take on Sul Ross State (TX) University at 2:00 p.m. CDT. Trinity's first conference game of the season will be at home as the Tigers host University of Dallas (TX) on September 15. The SCAC Championship is on the calendar for November 3-5 at Shreveport, Louisiana, with Centenary College serving as the host team.
