ARLINGTON, Texas – 2022 regular season champion Utah Valley was selected as the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) preseason favorite in the 2023 WAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll that was released on Thursday.
 
Utah Valley received seven first-place votes and 76 points to enter the season as the top team based on polling of the league’s 10 head coaches. Grand Canyon placed second with two first-place votes and 73 points, while Seattle U was tabbed third with one first-place vote and 66 points.
 
Grand Canyon senior forward Gianna Gourley and Utah Valley senior midfielder Heather Stainbrook were selected as the 2023 WAC Preseason Co-Offensive Players of the Year. Gourley was the conference leading scorer during the 2022 season, ranking fourth in the NCAA in total goals (18) and fifth in total points (42) across 20 matches. She currently ranks as GCU’s all-time leading scorer with 28 goals.
 
Stainbrook was the 2022 WAC Offensive Player of the Year, after finishing second in the WAC in goals (13), points (32) and tying for seventh in assists (6). She led the Wolverines to a first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and has earned First Team All-WAC the past two seasons.
 
Utah Valley redshirt senior Jenna Shepherd was chosen as the 2023 WAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Shepherd anchored the Wolverine defense to six shutouts, including five shutout wins. She was the 2020 and 2022 WAC Defensive Player of the Year and has earned three consecutive First Team All-WAC honors.   
 
California Baptist redshirt senior Noa Schumacher was voted as the 2023 WAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. Schumacher led the WAC in saves (93) and saves per game (5.81). She had a career-high 15 saves at Utah Valley, which was the most saves by any Lancer in the D-1 era. Schumacher’s 93 saves is a single-season D-1 program record for the Lancers.
 
Utah Valley led the way with five selections on the 2023 Preseason All-Conference Team. California Baptist and Grand Canyon each had two selections, while Seattle U and Utah Tech were also represented.

2023 WAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll
 

Rank	Team (1st-Place Votes)	Points
1.	Utah Valley (7)	79
2.	Grand Canyon (2)	73
3.	Seattle U (1)	66
4.	California Baptist	56
5.	Utah Tech	44
6.	Stephen F. Austin	41
7.	Southern Utah	36
8.	Tarleton State	24
9.	Abilene Christian	17
10.	UTRGV	14

 
2023 WAC Preseason Offensive Players of the Year: Gianna Gourley, GCU; Heather Stainbrook, UVU
2023 WAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Jenna Shepherd, Utah Valley
2023 WAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year: Noa Schumacher, California Baptist
 
2023 Preseason All-WAC Team 
Noa Schumacher, California Baptist, R-Sr., GK
Kait Raffensperger, Seattle U, Jr., D
Sydney Bushman, Utah Valley, Sr., D 
Jenna Shepard, Utah Valley, R-Sr., D 
Lourdes Bosch, California Baptist, R-Sr., MF 
Leah Pirro, Grand Canyon, So., MF 
Hannah Lee, Utah Valley, Sr., MF 
Heather Stainbrook, Utah Valley, Sr., MF 
Gianna Gourley, Grand Canyon, Sr., F  
Karli Heaton (Nyland), Utah Tech, Jr., F
Faith Webber, Utah Valley, Jr., F