Three Named to Watch List; Owls Tabbed Third in American
8/12/2025 2:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
HOUSTON – Rice soccer was selected third in the 2025 American Coaches Preseason Poll, the conference announced Tuesday afternoon. Eileen Albers, Leah Chancey and Lilly Reuscher were all named to the American Watch List.
The Owls are coming off a 12-6-2 (5-4-1 American) season, finishing fourth in the conference. Rice reached the AAC Semifinals after defeating UAB in the quarterfinal round. Chancey, Reuscher, Kat Lazor, Faith Hutchins and the Rice coaching staff all earned American honors last season.
Albers arrives to Rice after two seasons at Radford, where she emerged as one of the top scorers in the Big South Conference. A 2024 All-Big South First Team selection last year, Albers finished the season ranked fourth in goals scored (seven), fourth in points (17) and fifth in shots on goal (22). Her freshman campaign earned her Big South Freshman of the Year, All-Freshman Team and All-Big South First Team honors. Albers finished the 2023 season ranked in the top five in the Big South in goals (six), game-winning goals (three) and shots on goal (19).
Chancey returns after being named the AAC Offensive Player of the Year last season, leading the conference in goals (nine), points (22), shot accuracy (.528), shots on goal per game (1.40), second in game-winning goals (4), third in goal per game (.45), and fourth in points per game (1.10). She had a Rice record-breaking and NCAA-leading eight consecutive matches with a goal, and finished the season ranked in the TopDrawerSoccer Top 100 at No. 99, the seventh Rice soccer player to be ranked at the end of the season.
Reuscher is coming off an exceptional freshman campaign, where she earned a spot on the American All-Freshman Team. Starting in all 20 games, Reuscher was third on the team in total minutes with 1,753 minutes and played a full 90 minutes 17 times. Reuscher helped lead the defensive line to eight shutouts last season. She finished the season with one assist in Rice's win over Texas Southern.
2025 American Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
Note: (First-place votes)
The Owls are coming off a 12-6-2 (5-4-1 American) season, finishing fourth in the conference. Rice reached the AAC Semifinals after defeating UAB in the quarterfinal round. Chancey, Reuscher, Kat Lazor, Faith Hutchins and the Rice coaching staff all earned American honors last season.
Albers arrives to Rice after two seasons at Radford, where she emerged as one of the top scorers in the Big South Conference. A 2024 All-Big South First Team selection last year, Albers finished the season ranked fourth in goals scored (seven), fourth in points (17) and fifth in shots on goal (22). Her freshman campaign earned her Big South Freshman of the Year, All-Freshman Team and All-Big South First Team honors. Albers finished the 2023 season ranked in the top five in the Big South in goals (six), game-winning goals (three) and shots on goal (19).
Chancey returns after being named the AAC Offensive Player of the Year last season, leading the conference in goals (nine), points (22), shot accuracy (.528), shots on goal per game (1.40), second in game-winning goals (4), third in goal per game (.45), and fourth in points per game (1.10). She had a Rice record-breaking and NCAA-leading eight consecutive matches with a goal, and finished the season ranked in the TopDrawerSoccer Top 100 at No. 99, the seventh Rice soccer player to be ranked at the end of the season.
Reuscher is coming off an exceptional freshman campaign, where she earned a spot on the American All-Freshman Team. Starting in all 20 games, Reuscher was third on the team in total minutes with 1,753 minutes and played a full 90 minutes 17 times. Reuscher helped lead the defensive line to eight shutouts last season. She finished the season with one assist in Rice's win over Texas Southern.
2025 American Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
| 1 | Memphis (6) | 96 |
| 2 | South Florida (4) | 94 |
| 3 | Rice | 76 |
| 4 | East Carolina (1) | 64 |
| 5 | North Texas | 63 |
| 6 | Tulsa | 48 |
| 7 | UAB | 47 |
| 8 | UTSA | 38 |
| 9 | Florida Atlantic | 36 |
| 10 | Charlotte | 33 |
| 11 | Temple | 10 |
Note: (First-place votes)
Players Mentioned
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