Roelfsema & Schultz Earn C-USA Preseason Honors
1/26/2021 1:31:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Owls Host Houston Saturday In Exhibition
The preseason all-conference honors and divisional ranking were determined on a vote of the 14 C-USA head soccer coaches. Defending regular season co-champions North Texas and Florida Atlantic were picked first in the league's West and East Divisions, respectively.
The Owl duo of Schultz and Roelfsema clearly have the full attention of the C-USA head coaches. Roelfsema is a senior defender originally from The Netherlands who has anchored the Owls' backline with a wealth of international experience. Schultz is a junior midfielder from Saint Louis who led the Owls in shots (44) and ranked second on the team in assists (4) and minutes played (1,674). Both Rice players earned second team all-region honors in the previous college season completed in the fall of 2019.
Under head coach Brian Lee Rice soccer returns eight of 11 starters from a 2019 squad that finished 10-6-3 and won a game in the C-USA Tournament. The Blue & Gray return a total of 20 letterwinners from the previous season and welcome in a talented group of newcomers.
The Owls reported for preseason training on January 4, and the team has a short time to prepare for the program's first season to be held in the spring semester. Rice takes the field in an exhibition match against crosstown rival Houston on Saturday (Jan. 30) at 2 pm. The home exhibition will not be open to the public in accordance with Rice University's COVID-19 mitigation policies. Rice Athletics is currently working with the Rice Crisis Management Team on potential seating layouts to accommodate some level of attendance for future matches and will communicate those plans to our season ticket members and the public at the appropriate time.
The Owls officially open the season on February 4 on the road against McNeese. The squad's home-opener is set for February 7 against local foe Houston Baptist. Results of the 2021 C-USA Soccer Coaches Spring Preseason Poll are as follows:
Spring 2021 Preseason All-Conference Team
Ambere Barnett, WKU
Kelsey Brann, North Texas
Allie Byrd, North Texas
Luisa Daikeler, FAU
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee
Julia Patrum, Charlotte
Ellis Patterson, UTSA
Berklee Peters, North Texas
Caitlin Pierce, Southern Miss
Mijke Roelfsema, Rice
Delaney Schultz, Rice
Cassidy Wasdin, FAU
Autumn Woodard, Louisiana Tech
Spring 2021 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
West Division
1. North Texas
2. Rice
3. UTSA
4. Louisiana Tech
5. UTEP
6. UAB
7. Southern Miss
East Division
1. Florida Atlantic
2. Charlotte
3. WKU
4. Middle Tennessee
5. Marshall
6. FIU
7. Old Dominion
