AUGUSTA, GA – The Peach Belt Conference has released the 2022 women's soccer season preview with both the preseason coaches poll and the preseason All-Conference Team. The women's soccer season begins on Thursday, Aug. 25, with conference play beginning on Saturday, Sept. 10.

Flagler was named the preseason favorite in the coaches poll. The Saints received seven first-place votes and 97 total points to edge out Columbus State, who was second with three first-place votes and 92 points. North Georgia was third in the voting with Lander fourth, Clayton State fifth and Georgia College sixth. Young Harris, Georgia Southwestern, USC Aiken, new PBC member USC Beaufort and Albany State rounded out the voting.

Flagler won the PBC regular-season championship in 2019 and 2020 and are the three-time defending PBC Tournament Champions. Last season, the Saints finished 17-2-2 overall, 7-2 in PBC play and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Ranked #11 in the nation in the United Soccer Coaches preseason Top 25, Flagler returns 18 letter winners, including eight starters.

Columbus State won the 2021 PBC regular-season title with an unbeaten 9-0 league mark. The Cougars were the top seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional last year. Beginning the 2022 season ranked #15 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, the Cougars return six senior and graduate students and six juniors.

2022 PBC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
 

Rank	Team	Points
1.	Flagler (7)	97
2.	Columbus State (3)	92
3.	North Georgia (1)	80
4.	Lander	72
5.	Clayton State	64
6.	Georgia College	53
7.	Young Harris	37
8.	Georgia Southwestern	36
9.	USC Aiken	31
10.	USC Beaufort	29
11.	Albany State	14

2022 Women's Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team

Lauren Barnes, Columbus State

• A sophomore forward from Clayton, Ga.
• A PBC All-Tournament selection in 2021
• Third on the team with nine goals and second with seven assists
• Tied for seventh in the PBC in goals, fourth in assists and ninth in total points; she scored two goals against Lincoln Memorial and scored against Mount Olive in the NCAA Tournament
• A PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar

Emma Beddow, Columbus State

• A sophomore forward from Savannah, Ga.
• A first-team All-Conference selection in 2021, she was also named a first-team All-Region selection by the D2CCA
• Led the team and was tied for second in the PBC with 11 goals scored; also had four assists and was fifth in the conference in total points
• Had a five-match goal streak last season, including a two-goal game against Lander
• Had a goal and an assist in the PBC Tournament Championship game

Carley Canzoneri, Columbus State

• A senior midfielder from Suwanee, Ga.
• A first-team All-Conference selection, she was named a first-team All-American by United Soccer Coaches
• Started all 23 games with over 2,000 minutes on the field last season, leading a defense that was second in the PBC with a 0.984 team goals against average and league-best 11 shutouts
• Scored three goals, all game-winners and was named the PBC Defender of the Week on Sept. 27
• A 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-American, first-team United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American, PBC Team of Academic Distinction and PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar

Sara Carr, Flagler

• A senior defender from Charleston, W.V.
• A first-team All-Conference selection in 2021, she was also named a first-team All-Region pick by the D2CCA
• Started in 20 matches last season, named the PBC Defender of the Week on Oct. 18
• Scored three goals last season, the first of her career, including the game-tying goal against Columbus State in the PBC championship
• Named a PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar and to the PBC Team of Academic Distinction, she was also a D2ADA Academic Award recipient

Abbie Crane, North Georgia

• A senior forward from Peachtree City, Ga.
• A second-team All-Conference selection at forward
• Ranked second on the team with five goals last season, including a pair of game-winners against Young Harris and Georgia College
• Also named All-Conference on the UNG track & field team in the 4x100 relay
• A PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar, she was named to the PBC Team of Academic Distinction and a recipient of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award

Maysoon El-Shami, North Georgia

• A junior midfielder from Alpharetta, Ga.
• A first-team All-Conference selection last season in the midfield, she was also named a second-team All-Region selection by United Soccer Coaches
• Started in 16 matches for the Nighthawks last season, scoring four goals
• Ranked fifth in the PBC with three game-winning goals last year including the winner on the road at Clayton State in the opening round of the PBC Tournament
• A PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar, she was named to the PBC Team of Academic Distinction and a recipient of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award

Andrea Fernandez, Flagler

• A sophomore forward from Pozoblanco, Spain
• Became only the third women's soccer player in PBC history to be named the Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same season; also named the PBC Tournament Most Valuable Player
• A D2CCA second-team All-American, she was also named the Southeast Region Player of the Year and a United Soccer Coaches first-team All-Region selection
• Scored 17 goals with 15 assists, leading the PBC in goals, assists and points; ranked third in NCAA Division II in points per game, fourth in assists per game
• A PBC Presidential Honor Roll Bronze Scholar

Reia Henry, Clayton State

• A sophomore forward from Coventry, England
• A second-team All-Conference selection at forward, she was named the PBC Player of the Week on Nov. 1
• Scored eight goals for 16 total points, ranked ninth in the PBC in goals and seventh in points per game
• Had three straight multi-goal games, all against conference opponents, and had a golden goal against Young Harris
• A PBC Presidential Honor Roll Silver Scholar, she was named to the PBC Team of Academic Distinction

Summer Ligon, Georgia College

• A junior forward and midfielder from Carrollton, Ga.
• Played and started in all 17 games for the Bobcats, leading the team with over 1,400 minutes on the field
• Scored her lone goal of the season in a 1-0 win over Georgia Southwestern
• A two-time PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar
• Named to the PBC Team of Academic Distinction and a recipient of the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award

Josefine Nilsen, Flagler

• A junior forward from Färjestaden, Sweden
• A second-team All-Conference selection last season, she was also named a first-team All-Region selection by United Soccer Coaches and second-team All Region by the D2CCA
• Named the United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Week on Sept. 15
• Scored 10 goals with six assists, tied for fourth in the PBC in goals and tied for fifth in assists; finished second in the league with 26 total points
• A PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar, she was named to the PBC Team of Academic Distinction and received the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award

Rachael Sweigard, Columbus State

• A graduate student midfielder from South Lyon, Mich.
• A first-team All-Conference selection, she was also named first-team All-Region by United Soccer Coaches
• Started all 23 matches for the Cougars last season scoring five goals with two assists
• Scored the game-winning goals against Embry-Riddle and Christian Brothers
• Named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Team, she was also named to the PBC Team of Academic Distinction and a PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar