Three Pioneers earn preseason All-SAC honors

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Three members of the Tusculum University women’s soccer team were selected preseason All-South Atlantic Conference, the league office announced Tuesday.

Junior forward Sydney Grant was a first-team All-SAC selection, while junior defender Marja Enste and sophomore defender Brynn Stokes were third-team picks in voting by the conference’s 12 media relations offices. As a team, the Pioneers were chosen 10th in balloting done by the conference’s head coaches.

The Pioneers have nine starters returning from last year’s squad for second-year head coach Vanessa Fyffe. Tusculum went 2-10-4 overall last season and had a 2-7-2 mark in SAC play during 2023.

Grant was a second-team All-SAC pick last season after leading the Pioneers with four goals and three assists for 11 points in 16 matches. The Schaumburg, Illinois native also led the Pioneers in shot attempts (27), shots on goal (16) and game-winning goals (two) while playing a total of 1,209 minutes. Grant had two goals and three assists during conference play, and enters the season with nine goals and six assists for 24 points in 32 career matches.

Enste was selected team Most Valuable Player last season after playing a team-high 1,377 minutes across 16 matches. The Aachen, Germany native tied Grant for the team lead with three assists, and played all 90 minutes in nine of the Pioneers’ 11 conference matches. She has started 34 matches in two seasons at Tusculum, collecting a goal and seven assists.

Stokes started all 16 matches as a freshman and ranked second on the team to Enste in minutes played with 1,283. The Cleves, Ohio native scored two goals, both against conference opponents, and played all 90 minutes in eight of the Pioneers’ 11 matches.

Catawba claimed the top spot in the SAC coaches poll with nine first-place votes and 119 points, while defending regular-season and tournament champion Lenoir-Rhyne had the other three first-place votes and was second with 109 points. Wingate was third with 102 points, with a tie for fourth at 87 points between Carson-Newman and Anderson.

Lincoln Memorial holds sixth in the preseason poll with 68 points, followed by Limestone in seventh (63 points) and Mars Hill eighth (49), with Newberry ninth at 34 points. The Pioneers had 32 points for tenth place, with Coker (30 points) and Emory & Henry (12) closing out the survey.

The Pioneers host Thomas More to begin their 2024 season on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 4 p.m. at Pioneer Field.

2024 SAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll

2024 SAC Women’s Soccer Preseason All-Conference Teams
First Team
F – Bree Ehmer, Catawba
F – Helen Summerell, Catawba
F – Sydney Grant, Tusculum
F – Kaitlyn Gregory, Anderson
MF – Evan O’Leary, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Manu Baptista Felipe, Wingate
MF – Maria Rayburn, Catawba
MF – Carola Busquets, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Sascha Larsen, Wingate
D – Alexah Fite, Catawba
D – Meggie Powell, Anderson
D – Kylie Swanson, Anderson
GK – Camryn Miller, Mars Hill

Second Team
F – Lucie Bertrand, Limestone
F – Samantha Swinson, Mars Hill
F – Yasmin Cowley, Wingate
F – Leanna Guion, Anderson
MF – Emerson Talley, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Felicia Frick, Carson-Newman
MF – Camryn Woods, Anderson
MF – Katherine Ensalaco, Wingate
D – Lillie Rusher, Catawba
D – Kelly Havens, Catawba
D – Laura Holt, Wingate
D – Anna Schuller, Lenoir-Rhyne
GK – Bente Latenstein, Lincoln Memorial

Third Team
F – Kara Gavaghan, Lenoir-Rhyne
F – Morgan Delair, Catawba
F – Krista Nielsen, Carson-Newman
F – Anita Arnadottir, Carson-Newman
MF – Sophia Husted, Wingate
MF – Alba Delgado, Carson-Newman
MF – Selina Jud, Carson-Newman
MF – Sharon Mayes, Catawba
D – Kate Casey, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Marja Enste, Tusculum
D – Carly Keuffer, Anderson
D – Brynn Stokes, Tusculum
GK – Haley Faucette, Wingate