By: Jonathon Zenk, Assistant Director of Communications
NATCHITOCHES—The Northwestern State soccer team returns 21 players from a team that earned a trip to the Southland Conference Tournament semifinals, and four of those earned a spot on the preseason All-Southland Conference team, the conference announced Friday.
Due to making the second team in the postseason last year,
Taylor Spitzer clinched a spot on the preseason team, as she was named to the second team. She is joined on the second team by twin sister
Jessica Spitzer,
Caroline Hilliard and
Emily Senatore.
In addition to the preseason teams, the preseason poll was also announced, as NSU was picked fourth—the same place it finished the regular season last year.
Taylor Spitzer led the team in several offensive categories as a sophomore. Spitzer was one of four players to play in and start all 19 games a year ago, leading the team in goals (4) and points (9), including a goal against LSU.
A pair of defenders also played their way into a spot on the team, Hilliard and
Jessica Spitzer. Hilliard, who was the Spring 2021 SLC Freshman of the Year, also earned a spot on last year's preseason team.
The pair were instrumental in the late-season surge that helped NSU reach the semifinals, surrendering just two goals in 220 minutes. For her efforts, Hilliard was named to the SLC All-Tournament team.
During their five-game unbeaten streak in regulation to end the season, the defense helped surrender just five goals and one goal or fewer in four of the contests.
The duo was a part of a defense that posted five shutout wins, including three in Southland Conference play, as well as limiting opponents to seven or fewer shots on six occasions.
Making her all-conference debut is Senatore, a sophomore midfielder from Connecticut.
In her freshman season, she came on strong down the stretch, scoring three goals in the final three games of the regular season, including finding the back of the net a pair of times in the regular season finale at Nicholls.
The multi-goal game at Nicholls was the only such contest for NSU last season.
Overall, she was tied for second on the team with three goals, also scoring in the victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the regular season. Senatore finished fourth on the team in 2023 in points, tallying six.
Senatore scored in the penalty kick shootout in both SLC Tournament games. She finished second on the team in both shots (28) and shots on goal (12), only trailing
Taylor Spitzer in both categories.
NSU was picked fourth in the poll after finishing fourth in the regular season last year. The top six of the preseason poll are the same as the standings from 2023.
Reigning regular season and tournament champion Lamar is the preseason favorite, followed by Texas A&M-Commerce and McNeese.
Stephen F. Austin, coming back to the conference after three seasons in the WAC, is picked to finish seventh, while conference newcomer UT-Rio Grande Valley is picked ninth.
NSU begins the 2024 campaign with four consecutive games on the road, starting with a trip to Dallas for the opener Thursday at SMU. The team returns to Natchitoches for the first time in the regular season Sept. 1 against former SLC foe Abilene Christian.
2024 Preseason Soccer Poll
- Lamar – 200 (20)
- Texas A&M-Commerce – 177 (2)
- McNeese – 147
- Northwestern State – 130
- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 112
- Southeastern – 105
- SFA – 98
- HCU – 81
- UTRGV – 67
- UIW – 63
- Nicholls – 30
2024 Preseason All-Conference Team
First Team
GK – Jackie Kelley, McNeese
D – Arely Alaniz, Lamar
D – Nya Mitchell, Texas A&M-Commerce
D – Morgan Schooley, McNeese
D – Mindy Shofit, Texas A&M-Commerce
MF – Alana Clark, Lamar
MF – Kaile Kukaua, McNeese
MF – Camila Montero, Texas A&M-Commerce
MF – Alexa Huerta, HCU
MF – Trinity Clark, Lamar
F – Isela Ramirez, Lamar
F – Hannah Bell, Texas A&M-Commerce
F – Kaydence Ramirez, Texas A&M-Commerce
F – Olivia Rossman, HCU
Second Team
GK – Erica Defferding, UIW
D – Caragan Childs, Lamar
D – Jessica Spitzer, Northwestern State
D – Caroline Hilliard, Northwestern State
D – Emma Crump, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
MF – Melissa Storey, Texas A&M-Commerce
MF – Andre Lauren, Nicholls
MF – Rachel Loetzer, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
MF – Emily Senatore, Northwestern State
F – Sierra Wannamkaer, UIW
F – Taylor Spitzer, Northwestern State
F – Mya Mitchell, Texas A&M-Commerce
F – Emily Jaimes, HCU
