Sooners Ranked No. 16 in Preseason Poll

NORMAN – The Oklahoma soccer team is ranked No. 16 in the United Soccer Coaches (formerly the NSCAA) Preseason Poll, the organization announced Friday.

The ranking marks OU's first-ever appearance in the preseason poll and its second-highest position in the United Soccer Coaches' rankings.

Oklahoma, which finished last season with a 14-7-2 overall record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history, reached as high as No. 22 in the rankings a year ago and finished the year receiving votes.

OU is one of two Big 12 schools ranked inside the top 25, joining No. 1 West Virginia. The two teams square off on Oct. 8 in Morgantown, W. Va.

The Sooners will also face No. 8 BYU on Aug. 11 in an exhibition match at the OU Soccer Complex.

The 2017 squad returns six starters and 14 letterwinners from last year's team that finished tied for third in the Big 12. OU brings back All-Big 12 selections Tori Bowman and Paige Welch along with All-Big 12 Freshman pick Kristina O'Donnell.

The Sooners begin the 2017 regular season on Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. CT against Arizona inside the OU Soccer Complex before traveling to SMU two days later.

RANK	TEAM	PREV	W-L-T
1.	West Virginia	2	23-2-2
2.	Stanford	6	18-2-1
3.	USC	1	19-4-2
4.	South Carolina	5	21-2-1
5.	Georgetown	3	20-3-3
6.	North Carolina	4	17-4-4
7.	Florida	10	17-5-1
8.	BYU	9	18-3-1
9.	UCLA	13	15-5-2
10.	Auburn	8	17-7-0
11.	Virginia	11	15-5-2
12.	Duke	7	15-5-3
13.	Clemson	12	14-5-4
14.	Connecticut	20	19-3-1
15.	Florida State	14	14-4-4
16.	Oklahoma	RV	14-7-2
17.	Arkansas	19	18-5-0
18.	Notre Dame	21	13-3-5
19.	Minnesota	15	16-3-4
20.	Utah	16	13-4-5
21.	Rutgers	25	12-5-6
22.	Nebraska	RV	11-6-5
23.	Northwestern	18	16-3-4
24.	Santa Clara	17	12-7-4
25.	Colorado	23	15-6-1