Cowgirl Soccer Picked Third In Preseason Big 12 Poll

Oklahoma State is the preseason pick to finish third in the Big 12 Conference standings in 2015, it was announced by the league office today.

In a vote of the league’s head coaches, who were not allowed to choose their own team, West Virginia was selected as the Big 12 favorite. The two-time defending conference champion Mountaineers received seven of the nine first-place votes from the coaches.

Also ahead of OSU is Texas Tech, which received the remaining two first-place votes. Following the third-place Cowgirls are Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, TCU and Baylor with Iowa State rounding out the list.

Head coach Colin Carmichael’s Cowgirls return 10 starters, including four All-Big 12 performers, from a 2014 squad that finished 10-10-1 and advanced to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship for the second consecutive year. OSU was runner-up to West Virginia in the Big 12 standings a year ago as the Cowgirls finished 5-2-1 in league play.

OSU has twice been crowned Big 12 regular season champions, with those titles coming in 2008 and 2011.

The Cowgirls will host SMU in a preseason exhibition match next Friday at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex before opening the regular season at home against Mercer on Aug. 23.