The Mid-American Conference women’s soccer coaches have had their say, and Bowling Green State University has been picked to finish fourth in the league regular-season race this season.
The 2023 preseason poll, the result of voting by the conference’s 12 head coaches, was released by the league office on Tuesday morning.
BGSU coach Jimmy Walker’s club garnered a total of 98 points in the poll. Buffalo was picked to win the league regular-season title, receiving 112 points and seven first-place votes. Western Michigan earned 104 points and three first-place votes, followed by Ball State (100 points, one first-place vote) and the Falcons.
Miami was tabbed to finish fifth, followed by Kent State, Ohio and Northern Illinois. Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Toledo and Akron rounded out the poll.
Buffalo was predicted to capture the conference tourney crown by six coaches, while Ball State received two votes and four teams — BGSU, Miami, Ohio and WMU — got one vote apiece.
The Falcons return 16 letterwinners, including eight starters, from a 2022 club that finished with records of 9-5-5 overall and 6-2-3 within the MAC.
BGSU advanced to the conference tournament semifinals in ‘22 after winning the league title in each of the previous four seasons.
BGSU begins the regular-season schedule on Sunday (Aug. 20) at nationally-ranked Michigan State. The home opener is seven days later (Sunday, Aug. 27) vs. Loyola Chicago, with the MAC opener set for Sept. 21 at Toledo.
