LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State women's soccer team was picked to finish seventh in the Western Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll the league announced Wednesday.
 
NM State returns seven starters from last year's team, including NM State's leading scorer – Aileen Galicia, who was fifth in the league in total points with 17. The Indio, Calif., native leads two other core members on the attacking front in Audriana Chavez and Devin Hart. In addition, Aggie head coach Freddy Delgado will have the services of freshman Natalie Swanson at the forward position.
 
The Aggies' back line also has a returning core in Samantha Afonso, Cristina Bertoldo, Danielle Smith and Sarina Stockton. That line will be backed up by a group of six freshmen, who come to Las Cruces with a wealth of experience at the state championship level in their respective states.
 
New Mexico State's 2017 squad will be its most experience team since Delgado took over the program, with the Aggies featuring three seniors, 10 juniors and seven sophomores.
 
Seattle U, the reigning WAC Champions, was picked to finish first once again by the league's head coaches with seven first-place votes for a total of 49 points. UMKC checked in second with 36 points, including a first-place vote. Grand Canyon, this year's tournament host, followed closely behind with 34 points.
 
Utah Valley and CSU Bakersfield tied for fourth with 32 points apiece while UT Rio Grande Valley (18 points), NM State (15 points) and Chicago State rounded the list.
 
Sabrina Delgado of CSU Bakersfield was voted as the league's preseason offensive player of the year while the Redhawks' Stephanie Spiekerman was selected as the preseason defensive player of the year.
 
2017 Preseason Women's Soccer Coaches Poll

Rank	Team (1st-Place Vote)	Points
1.	Seattle U (7)	49
2.	UMKC (1)	36
3.	Grand Canyon	34
4T.	Utah Valley	32
4T.	CSU Bakersfield	32
6.	UT Rio Grande Valley	18
7.	NM State	15
8.	Chicago State	8

 2017 Preseason All-WAC Team
Milla Benedetti, Sr., F, Grand Canyon
Sarah Bonney, So., F, UTRGV
Natasha Howe, Sr., F, Seattle U
Sabrina Delgado, Jr., MF, CSU Bakersfield
Reighan Childers, Jr., MF, Kansas City
Breanna DeWaal, So., MF, Utah Valley
Lexie Howard, Jr., MF Kansas City
Madison Cox, Sr., D, Grand Canyon
Stephanie Spiekerman, Sr., D, Seattle U
Hannah Carrothers, Jr., D, Seattle U
Blakely Fraasch, Sr., GK, Grand Canyon
 
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Sabrina Delgado, CSU Bakersfield
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Stephanie Spiekerman, Seattle U