Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Photo by: JC Ridley/Owlpix.com
Women’s Soccer Second, O’Hara Chosen to Preseason All-C-USA Team
8/12/2019 1:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Monday's release of the 2019 Conference USA Women's Soccer Preseason Awards saw the league coaches select the Florida Atlantic University Owls second in the team poll, while senior midfielder Mary O'Hara represents the squad on the 11-player preseason team.
O'Hara is part of a 10-deep and extremely successful rising senior class and was both First Team All-C-USA and Third Team All-South Region following last year. She has amassed 63 appearances in three years, with 55 starts, scoring nine career goals with seven assists. Last year alone, she scored four times and assisted on five other tallies.
"It is such an honor to be chosen as Preseason All-Conference," said O'Hara. "Winning conference last year was unforgettable and has left everyone on the team eager and ready to start the new season. The level of competition this early in preseason is at an all-time high. We have 10 returning seniors this year, which has raised the standard on and off the field immensely. We can't wait to begin and see what this season has in store for us."
"Our players, coaches and staff are excited for Mary to receive Preseason C-USA recognition," added head coach Patrick Baker. "She has proven to be one of the top players in the conference over the past three years and is regarded as one of the best midfielders to play at Florida Atlantic University. Mary received a lot of recognition last year and is looking to build upon 2018 with a great senior season. She has come in fit and is playing at a very high level, and her class looks to become one of the most successful classes in program history."
On the team side, the Owls shared last year's C-USA regular season title with North Texas, who received 13 of a possible 14 votes and ranks No. 1 in the preseason poll. After FAU, it's Rice, UAB and Middle Tennessee to round out the top five. Southern Miss, ninth in the poll, received the other first-place vote.
"Our 2018 squad enjoyed a memorable regular season C-USA campaign and were minutes away from a return to the tournament championship game," said Baker. "We have nine of 11 starters returning and have a senior class of 10 players that have enjoyed so much team and individual success these past three years. As we start the 2019 campaign, we appreciate being considered one of the top teams in Conference USA by the coaches. We know the C-USA season will bring tremendous challenges again and it appears all of our schools got remarkably better. Our schedule is difficult both home and away - with every one of our away weekends being doubleheaders. The quest as always is to challenge for the 2019 regular season title and the C-USA Tournament championship in November. We have so many talented returners and another highly touted freshman class. We are looking forward to the journey with this special group."
Here is the full Preseason All-C-USA squad, and team poll results:
2019 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee
2019 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Dominique James, North Texas
2019 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Team
Megan Greene, Charlotte
Riley Orr, Charlotte
Mary O'Hara, Florida Atlantic
Elizabeth Doll, Louisiana Tech
Marah Abu-Tayeh, Marshall
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee
Hannah Tillett, Middle Tennessee
Dominique James, North Texas
Emily Roberts, Old Dominion
Lianne Mananquil, Rice
Ambere Barnett, WKU
2019 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Poll (First-Place Votes)
1. North Texas (13)
2. Florida Atlantic
3. Rice
4. UAB
5. Middle Tennessee
T6. Old Dominion
T6. Louisiana Tech
8. Charlotte
9. Southern Miss (1)
10. WKU
11. Marshall
12. UTSA
13. UTEP
14. FIU
The Owls are in the midst of preseason camp, with a scrimmage scheduled for this Friday at FAU Soccer Stadium against Florida Gulf Coast. Less than two weeks remain before the home and regular season opener, Aug. 23 versus Florida.
O'Hara is part of a 10-deep and extremely successful rising senior class and was both First Team All-C-USA and Third Team All-South Region following last year. She has amassed 63 appearances in three years, with 55 starts, scoring nine career goals with seven assists. Last year alone, she scored four times and assisted on five other tallies.
"It is such an honor to be chosen as Preseason All-Conference," said O'Hara. "Winning conference last year was unforgettable and has left everyone on the team eager and ready to start the new season. The level of competition this early in preseason is at an all-time high. We have 10 returning seniors this year, which has raised the standard on and off the field immensely. We can't wait to begin and see what this season has in store for us."
"Our players, coaches and staff are excited for Mary to receive Preseason C-USA recognition," added head coach Patrick Baker. "She has proven to be one of the top players in the conference over the past three years and is regarded as one of the best midfielders to play at Florida Atlantic University. Mary received a lot of recognition last year and is looking to build upon 2018 with a great senior season. She has come in fit and is playing at a very high level, and her class looks to become one of the most successful classes in program history."
On the team side, the Owls shared last year's C-USA regular season title with North Texas, who received 13 of a possible 14 votes and ranks No. 1 in the preseason poll. After FAU, it's Rice, UAB and Middle Tennessee to round out the top five. Southern Miss, ninth in the poll, received the other first-place vote.
"Our 2018 squad enjoyed a memorable regular season C-USA campaign and were minutes away from a return to the tournament championship game," said Baker. "We have nine of 11 starters returning and have a senior class of 10 players that have enjoyed so much team and individual success these past three years. As we start the 2019 campaign, we appreciate being considered one of the top teams in Conference USA by the coaches. We know the C-USA season will bring tremendous challenges again and it appears all of our schools got remarkably better. Our schedule is difficult both home and away - with every one of our away weekends being doubleheaders. The quest as always is to challenge for the 2019 regular season title and the C-USA Tournament championship in November. We have so many talented returners and another highly touted freshman class. We are looking forward to the journey with this special group."
Here is the full Preseason All-C-USA squad, and team poll results:
2019 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee
2019 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Dominique James, North Texas
2019 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Team
Megan Greene, Charlotte
Riley Orr, Charlotte
Mary O'Hara, Florida Atlantic
Elizabeth Doll, Louisiana Tech
Marah Abu-Tayeh, Marshall
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee
Hannah Tillett, Middle Tennessee
Dominique James, North Texas
Emily Roberts, Old Dominion
Lianne Mananquil, Rice
Ambere Barnett, WKU
2019 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Poll (First-Place Votes)
1. North Texas (13)
2. Florida Atlantic
3. Rice
4. UAB
5. Middle Tennessee
T6. Old Dominion
T6. Louisiana Tech
8. Charlotte
9. Southern Miss (1)
10. WKU
11. Marshall
12. UTSA
13. UTEP
14. FIU
The Owls are in the midst of preseason camp, with a scrimmage scheduled for this Friday at FAU Soccer Stadium against Florida Gulf Coast. Less than two weeks remain before the home and regular season opener, Aug. 23 versus Florida.
Players Mentioned
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