INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI women's soccer team has been picked to finish seventh according to the Horizon League preseason polls, released on Monday afternoon (Aug. 14). Milwaukee and Northern Kentucky split the 10 first-place votes evenly and finished tied atop the poll with 87 points apiece. Behind them, Detroit Mercy (73 points), Oakland (66) and Wright State (59) rounded out the top half. 

UIC (53), IUPUI (42), Youngstown State (34), Cleveland State (32) and Green Bay (18) filled out the bottom five slots. 

Longtime head coach Chris Johnson's team boasts an impressive senior core of Krissy Kirkhoff and Hayley Shelton in the attack with Leia Peterman and Sarah Jacobs joining them among the projected starting 11. Sophomore Sophia Lipka is in her first year starting in goal while sophomore back Becca Spitalniak started every match in the defensive third a season ago. 

The Jaguars opened preseason play with a 3-1 loss at SIUE on Saturday (Aug. 12) as freshman Valentine Pursey accounted for the Jaguars' offense, off a Jillian Steinbrink assist. The Jaguars will open regular season play against Eastern Illinois on Friday night (Aug. 18) at 7:00 p.m. at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium.