ARLINGTON, Texas – The reigning three-time Western Athletic Conference (WAC) regular season champion Utah Valley was chosen as the WAC preseason favorite in the 2025 WAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll that was released on Thursday.
 
Utah Valley received four first-place votes and 24 points as the league’s head coaches named the Wolverines as the team to beat entering the 2025 season. This is the third straight year Utah Valley is tabbed the WAC preseason favorite. The defending WAC Tournament champion California Baptist was picked to finish runner-up with 22 points and two first-place votes.
 
Utah Valley graduate forward Faith Webber was voted as the 2025 WAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Webber returns to the pitch for the Wolverines following a historic 2024 season where she led the nation in goals per game (0.95) and collected the third-most points per game in the country (2.00). Webber was named the 2024 WAC Offensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in nearly every offensive statistic category including shots, points and goals in both conference and all matches. Webber has been named All-WAC First Team in each of the last three seasons and now goes back-to-back years being tabbed the WAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
 
California Baptist senior Summer Allen and Utah Valley senior Taylor Nelson were chosen as the 2025 WAC Preseason Co-Defensive Players of the Year. Allen played in all 20 matches for the Lancers last year and helped CBU to six shutout wins. Allen’s defense in the 2024 WAC Tournament led California Baptist to its first WAC championship as well as a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
 
Nelson started in all 19 matches for the Wolverines, five of those ending in shutout victories. Nelson helped lead UVU to another outright regular season title in 2024, earning her All-WAC Second Team honors. Nelson also had four assists and one goal to total six points last season.
 
Tarleton State senior Mikayla Kendall was selected as the 2025 WAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. Kendall started all 20 games in the net for the 2024 Texans and led the WAC in save percentage (.862) and total saves (106), ranking 10^th and 17^th in the country, respectively. Kendall recorded six shutouts for Tarleton State last year and was named to the All-WAC Second Team.
 
Utah Valley tallied five selections on the 2025 Preseason All-Conference Team with Utah Tech claiming three spots and California Baptist with two of its own. Southern Utah and Tarleton State are also represented on the All-WAC Team.
 
2025 WAC Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll
 

Rank	Team (1st-Place Votes)	Points
1.	Utah Valley (4)	24
2.	California Baptist (2)	22
T3.	Tarleton State	15
	Utah Tech	15
5.	Abilene Christian	8
6.	Southern Utah	6

 
2025 WAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Faith Webber, Utah Valley
2025 WAC Preseason Defensive Players of the Year: Summer Allen, CBU; Taylor Nelson, UVU
2025 WAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year: Mikayla Kendall, Tarleton State
 
2025 Preseason All-WAC Team 
GK - Mikayla Kendall, Sr., Tarleton State
D - Summer Allen, Sr., California Baptist 
D - Michelle Rodriguez, Jr., Utah Tech
D - Taylor Nelson, Sr., Utah Valley
MF - Aubrey Murray, Sr., Southern Utah
MF - Kyah Le, Sr., Utah Tech
MF - Ashley Garcia, Jr., Utah Valley
MF - Kate Shirts, So., Utah Valley
F - Kaylee Hauck, Sr., California Baptist 
F - Lacy Fox, Sr., Utah Tech
F - Ruby Hladek, Sr., Utah Valley
F - Faith Webber, Gr., Utah Valley