TicketsCINCINNATI -- University of Cincinnati junior Ashley Barron has been picked to defend her AAC Defensive Player of the Year status for the upcoming season, as voted by league coaches. The team was picked fourth.
Barron last year became the sixth player in program history to claim the honor and the first since Tokyo gold medalist Vanessa Gilles in 2017. Other honorees include Christy Hoffman, Tracy Pohol, Nicole Thorne and Julie McCaffrey, all in Conference USA from 1995-2001.
Barron, a Toledo native, joins Gilles as the only ones in school history with both Preseason Defensive Player of the Year accolades and multiple First-Team All-AAC selections. Last year's team ranked in the top half of the AAC in goals-against-average (1.08), helping freshman Anna Rexford rank among the league in GAA and saves.
As a freshman in 2019, Barron started 18 of 19 matches and keyed the squad to eight shutouts.
Cincinnati opens its regular season Thursday at Northern Kentucky (7 p.m.) before its home debut Sunday against Toledo (1 p.m.).
AAC Preseason Poll
1. South Florida (6)
2. Memphis (3)
3. SMU
4. Cincinnati
5. UCF
6. East Carolina
7. Houston
8. Temple
9. Tulsa
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati soccer, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team (@GoBearcatsWSOC) and Head Coach Neil Stafford (@UCGaffer) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.
Barron last year became the sixth player in program history to claim the honor and the first since Tokyo gold medalist Vanessa Gilles in 2017. Other honorees include Christy Hoffman, Tracy Pohol, Nicole Thorne and Julie McCaffrey, all in Conference USA from 1995-2001.
Barron, a Toledo native, joins Gilles as the only ones in school history with both Preseason Defensive Player of the Year accolades and multiple First-Team All-AAC selections. Last year's team ranked in the top half of the AAC in goals-against-average (1.08), helping freshman Anna Rexford rank among the league in GAA and saves.
As a freshman in 2019, Barron started 18 of 19 matches and keyed the squad to eight shutouts.
Cincinnati opens its regular season Thursday at Northern Kentucky (7 p.m.) before its home debut Sunday against Toledo (1 p.m.).
AAC Preseason Poll
1. South Florida (6)
2. Memphis (3)
3. SMU
4. Cincinnati
5. UCF
6. East Carolina
7. Houston
8. Temple
9. Tulsa
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati soccer, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team (@GoBearcatsWSOC) and Head Coach Neil Stafford (@UCGaffer) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.