PENSACOLA, Fla. --- After closing out the 2022 season with an 18-4-1 record, the University of West Florida women's soccer team sits at No. 2 in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The Argos received the most first place votes amongst the teams with seven.
 
Mississippi College sits at the top of the preseason standings and received four first place votes. Lee takes the third spot in the poll with one first place vote. Montevallo and West Georgia are placed in the fourth and fifth spots out of fourteen teams in the GSC. West Georgia is the final team to receive first place votes with two.
 
Four Argonauts were named Preseason All-GSC – tying a league high with Mississippi College. Defending GSC Defensive Player of the Year, Maciah Lipsey, made the list. The goalkeeper out of Southfield, Michigan started in all 23 games and finished with a .806 save percentage. Lipsey closed out the season with 54 saves while allowing a low of 13 goals. Lipsey finished with a decorative year as she was named to the United Soccer Coaches and D2CCA All-South Region Teams and was a D2CCA All-American.
 
Joining Lipsey is Manami Okada, Destiny Hird and Ahnalie Layman. Manami Okada was named All-GSC First Team last season. Additionally, she was placed on United Soccer Coaches and D2CCA All-South Region First Team. She made 23 consecutive starts and finished with six goals and four assists in the 2022 season.
 
Hird is placed on the Preseason All-GSC Team for the second year in a row. She finished the season with two goals and two assists. Hird was named to the GSC All-Tournament Team and United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Team last season. Layman's 1,943 minutes played was the second most on the team last season. In 23 consecutive starts, Layman recorded two goals and seven assists. Layman played 90 minutes in 15 games and was a key player that helped earned 18 wins and 14 shutouts.
 
The defending GSC Regular Season champs will kick-off their season opener against Eckerd, Sept. 1 in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Argos home opener will take place at the UWF Soccer Complex against Flagler, Sept. 8.
 
2023 GSC WOMEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES POLL
First-place votes in parentheses ( )
1. Mississippi College - 159 (4)
2. West Florida - 153 (7)
3. Lee - 144 (1)
4. Montevallo - 125 
5. West Georgia - 112 (2)
6. West Alabama - 106
7. Delta State - 93
8. Valdosta State - 86
9. Christian Brothers - 82
10. Alabama Huntsville - 77
11. Auburn Montgomery - 52
12. Union - 44
13. Spring Hill - 28
14. Shorter - 13
 
2023 GSC Women's Preseason All-GSC
GK - Maciah Lipsey, West Florida, Gr.*
D - Kate Dirkse, Lee, Gr.*
D - MaryElla White, Mississipp College, Sr. #
D - Ahnalie Layman, West Florida, Jr.
M - Avery Hederman, Mississippi College, Sr.*
M - Emma Young, Mississippi College, Sr.*
M - Manami Okada, West Florida, R-Sr.*
M - Destiny Hird, West Florida, Sr.
F - Ellie Crisler, Lee, Gr.*
F - Erin Hederman, Mississippi College, Sr.*
F - Angelina Rivas, Montevallo, So.#
AL - Catherine Reeves, West Georgia, So.#
 
* First Team All-GSC in 2022
# Second Team All-GSC in 2022