The Big South conference announced Thursday afternoon the preseason poll and preseason awards for the upcoming 2024 season. Radford was predicted to finish first with six first-place votes while Helena Willson, Lilly Short and Eileen Albers all earned preseason recognitions.
The Highlanders have now been selected as preseason favorites for the second straight season and eighth time overall in program history since the Big South began listing a preseason poll in 1993. The Highlanders have been selected to finish within the top three of the Big South for six straight seasons.
Willson returns to the Highlanders for 2024 as the reigning 2023 Big South Defensive Player of the Year and earns the nod for the preseason honor for a second straight season. The fifth-year senior looks to continue creating history after leading the backline in all 20 matches last season. The Highlanders’ defense posted seven shutouts and held the top offense in the country scoreless for 55 minutes in last year’s NCAA First Round.
Short makes her second straight appearance on the preseason all-conference list, earning the Big South’s preseason Midfielder of the Year award for the first time. Short played a vital role in the Highlanders’ success in 2023 scoring goals in the Big South Tournament semifinals and championship to help clinch an NCAA Tournament berth. Short has scored six goals and seven assists in her career while playing in 40 games through just two seasons.
The reigning 2023 Freshman of the Year Albers makes her debut on the conference’s all-conference list after an incredible showing last season. The Melsungen, Germany native scored a team-best six goals last season with three game-winners. The freshman put the conference on notice last season with six goals in Big South play including a hat trick against Presbyterian.
The Highlanders are currently competing in preseason play before their regular season kicks off on Thursday, August 15th at home against William & Mary.
2024 Big South Preseason Women’s Soccer All-Conference Team
F: Dara Russo, USC Upstate (Preseason Offensive Player of the Year)
F: Eileen Albers, Radford
F: Peyton Curney, Longwood
F: Tessa Carlin, High Point
MF: Lilly Short, Radford (Preseason Midfielder of the Year)
MF: Lindsey DeHaven, High Point
MF: Paige Armstrong, USC Upstate (tie)
MF: Alex Dinger, Longwood (tie)
MF: Meg Roden, High Point (tie)
D: Helena Willson, Radford (Preseason Defensive Player of the Year)
D: Brooke Bonner, Longwood
D: Alex DePerno, High Point
D: Catarina Dantas, USC Upstate
GK: Jenna Moran, Charleston Southern (Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year)
2024 BIG SOUTH PRESEASON WOMEN’S SOCCER POLL
| Rk | Team (first-place votes) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Points |
| 1. | Radford (6) | 6 | – | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 74 |
| 2. | USC Upstate (2) | 2 | 5 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 72 |
| 3. | High Point (1) | 1 | 4 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 69 |
| 4. | Charleston Southern | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | – | 1 | – | – | 47 |
| 5. | Longwood | – | – | – | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 43 |
| 6. | UNC Asheville | – | – | – | – | 2 | 6 | 1 | – | – | 37 |
| 7. | Presbyterian | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 4 | 2 | – | 31 |
| 8. | Winthrop | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 4 | 3 | 19 |
| 9. | Gardner-Webb | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 6 | 13 |
Radford University Athletics
