TicketsCINCINNATI - The 2017 American Athletic Conference women's soccer awards and coaches' poll have been announced with the University of Cincinnati program once again well represented. For the second year in a row, in a vote of the conference's coaches, Vanessa Gilles has been voted the AAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and joins fellow senior Julie Gavorski as preseason all-conference honorees. As a team, the Bearcats were selected to finish third in the league.
// GILLES GOES BACK-TO-BACK
Gilles, for the second year in a row, was selected as the AAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year after earning the honor in 2016 as well. Gilles is coming off a career season as she was second on the team in goals scored (6) and points (12) while also anchoring a defense that allowed just 21 goals in 20 matches while posting nine shutouts as well. Following a junior season in which she was selected as the conference's defensive player of the week four times, she was named AAC All-Conference First Team before earning NSCAA All-Region Second Team honors.
// GAVORSKI HONORED
For the first time in her career, Gavorski has earned a preseason honor from the conference as she is one of 14 individuals to be named to the preseason all-conference team. The senior is coming off one of her best seasons for the Bearcats as she led the team in scoring in 2016 with team-highs in goals scored (8), points (17), game-winning goals (4) and penalty kicks (2-for-2). An AAC All-Conference Second Team honoree in 2016, Gavorski heads into the season with 17 career goals and 38 career points, needing six goals and 23 points to crack into the program's all-time Top 10 in each career list.
// BUILDING HISTORY
Last year, Gilles earned the same defensive honor and joined Jaycie Brown as members of the all-conference team. Those awards, at the time, were the only preseason accolades the Bearcats had earned as members of the American Athletic Conference before doubling each category this year.
// TEAM RECOGNITION
The Bearcats continue to climb the preseason rankings after being selected to finish third in 2017. In 2013, the inaugural season of play in the American, UC was selected ninth before placing sixth overall in the regular season. Since then, the Bearcats have been voted no lower than sixth place, including sixth in 2014, fifth in 2015 and tied for third last year. After finishing sixth in the first two years of league play, the Bearcats placed fourth (2015) and tied for fourth (2016) in the past two years. This year, however, marks the first time UC received a first-place vote with Memphis (five), SMU (three) and USF (one) each receiving at least one vote as well.
// POTENTIAL SHOWDOWNS
Based upon the coaches' poll, the Bearcats could find themselves in with several key battles on their hands at the end of the season as both Memphis (October 15) and SMU (October 22) appear on the schedule within one week of one another. UC will play host to the Tigers with just three regular season matches to follow while the penultimate match of 2017 will see the Bearcats and Mustangs face one another in Dallas. Of the Top 6 teams in the poll, UC will play host to three of the five matches as sixth-ranked UCF (September 21) and fourth-ranked USF (September 24) will visit Gettler Stadium along with the Tigers.
// UPCOMING ACTION
The second and final exhibition match of the 2017 season will take place Friday at Indiana with the Bearcats and Hoosiers squaring off in a 7:00 p.m. ET friendly at Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium on the IU campus.
// FOLLOWING THE BEARCATS
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsWSOC. Head Coach Neil Stafford (@UCGaffer) also can be followed on Twitter.
2017 American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Memphis - 74 (5)
2. SMU - 65 (3)
3. CINCINNATI - 60 (1)
4. USF - 57 (1)
5. UConn - 56
6. UCF - 53
7. Tulsa - 34
8. East Carolina - 18
Houston - 18
10. Temple - 15
Voting points follow each team name; (#) indicates first-place votes
Cincinnati in the Preseason Awards
Vanessa Gilles
- Preseason Defensive Player of the Year (back-to-back)
- Preseason All-Conference (unanimous)
Julie Gavorski
- Preseason All-Conference
// GILLES GOES BACK-TO-BACK
Gilles, for the second year in a row, was selected as the AAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year after earning the honor in 2016 as well. Gilles is coming off a career season as she was second on the team in goals scored (6) and points (12) while also anchoring a defense that allowed just 21 goals in 20 matches while posting nine shutouts as well. Following a junior season in which she was selected as the conference's defensive player of the week four times, she was named AAC All-Conference First Team before earning NSCAA All-Region Second Team honors.
// GAVORSKI HONORED
For the first time in her career, Gavorski has earned a preseason honor from the conference as she is one of 14 individuals to be named to the preseason all-conference team. The senior is coming off one of her best seasons for the Bearcats as she led the team in scoring in 2016 with team-highs in goals scored (8), points (17), game-winning goals (4) and penalty kicks (2-for-2). An AAC All-Conference Second Team honoree in 2016, Gavorski heads into the season with 17 career goals and 38 career points, needing six goals and 23 points to crack into the program's all-time Top 10 in each career list.
// BUILDING HISTORY
Last year, Gilles earned the same defensive honor and joined Jaycie Brown as members of the all-conference team. Those awards, at the time, were the only preseason accolades the Bearcats had earned as members of the American Athletic Conference before doubling each category this year.
// TEAM RECOGNITION
The Bearcats continue to climb the preseason rankings after being selected to finish third in 2017. In 2013, the inaugural season of play in the American, UC was selected ninth before placing sixth overall in the regular season. Since then, the Bearcats have been voted no lower than sixth place, including sixth in 2014, fifth in 2015 and tied for third last year. After finishing sixth in the first two years of league play, the Bearcats placed fourth (2015) and tied for fourth (2016) in the past two years. This year, however, marks the first time UC received a first-place vote with Memphis (five), SMU (three) and USF (one) each receiving at least one vote as well.
// POTENTIAL SHOWDOWNS
Based upon the coaches' poll, the Bearcats could find themselves in with several key battles on their hands at the end of the season as both Memphis (October 15) and SMU (October 22) appear on the schedule within one week of one another. UC will play host to the Tigers with just three regular season matches to follow while the penultimate match of 2017 will see the Bearcats and Mustangs face one another in Dallas. Of the Top 6 teams in the poll, UC will play host to three of the five matches as sixth-ranked UCF (September 21) and fourth-ranked USF (September 24) will visit Gettler Stadium along with the Tigers.
// UPCOMING ACTION
The second and final exhibition match of the 2017 season will take place Friday at Indiana with the Bearcats and Hoosiers squaring off in a 7:00 p.m. ET friendly at Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium on the IU campus.
// FOLLOWING THE BEARCATS
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsWSOC. Head Coach Neil Stafford (@UCGaffer) also can be followed on Twitter.
2017 American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Memphis - 74 (5)
2. SMU - 65 (3)
3. CINCINNATI - 60 (1)
4. USF - 57 (1)
5. UConn - 56
6. UCF - 53
7. Tulsa - 34
8. East Carolina - 18
Houston - 18
10. Temple - 15
Voting points follow each team name; (#) indicates first-place votes
Cincinnati in the Preseason Awards
Vanessa Gilles
- Preseason Defensive Player of the Year (back-to-back)
- Preseason All-Conference (unanimous)
Julie Gavorski
- Preseason All-Conference