Western Kentucky’s women’s soccer team was picked to finish ninth in the annual preseason Conference USA coaches’ poll announced by the conference office Monday.

Last season, WKU finished in a tie for eighth place in C-USA after a 4-5-1 record in conference play that saw the Lady Toppers win four of their last five matches.

Rice and North Texas, who have combined to win every regular season C-USA crown since 2014, are tabbed first and second, respectively, followed by 2016 tournament champion Charlotte, Old Dominion and Florida Atlantic.

Two-time All-C-USA selection Nicole Roseland is set to lead WKU’s returners into action in 2018. The senior has played in every possible match since arriving in 2015 and has drawn starts in all but four of those contests, including all 17 matches last season.

As a holding midfielder for the Lady Toppers, Roseland garnered First Team All-C-USA honors in 2016 before following up with a Third Team honor in 2017.

Chandler Backes, WKU’s leading scorer in each of the last two seasons, also returns for her junior campaign. The Carmel, Ind., native burst onto the scene with 10 goals during her freshman season in 2016 before adding six more last year; her 16 career goals through two seasons already rank 10th all-time on WKU’s goal-scoring list.

Including Backes, WKU brings back four of its top five point scorers from 2017.

Along the back line, two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Week Christina Bragado is back, as is sophomore Avery Jacobsen who started 12 matches during her debut season.

Wingback Aleksandra Kozovic, who served as WKU’s free kick specialist for much of last season, also returns after starting 15 of a possible 17 matches for the Lady Tops in 2017.

In goal, WKU will have a new primary goalkeeper for the first time since 2013 as it seeks to replace four-year starter Allison Leone.

Redshirt junior Anne-Marie Ulliac sat out last season as a transfer, while freshman Bailee Witt is also competing to start.

In addition to its returners, WKU is set to mix in seven newcomers throughout the preseason, including 2017 Miss Kentucky Soccer Ambere Barnett.

Kentucky natives Chelsea Moore and Olivia Stanley will look to have an immediate impact, as will Kerragan Mulzer, Lyric Schmidt and late signee Isidora Pekez.

On Saturday, WKU earned a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes in its first exhibition match of the preseason at Austin Peay.

WKU will close out its preseason slate with a pair of home exhibitions this weekend. The Lady Toppers host Saint Louis at the WKU Soccer Complex on Friday at 6 p.m. before clashing with Belmont on Sunday, also at 6 p.m.

WKU will then go on the road to Murray State for its regular season opener on Aug. 17 at 3 p.m.

2018 C-USA Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll (first-place votes in parentheses)

1. Rice (10)

2. North Texas (3)

3. Charlotte

4. Old Dominion

5. Florida Atlantic

6. UAB

7. Louisiana Tech

8. Middle Tennessee

9. WKU

10. UTEP

11. Marshall

12. Southern Miss (1)

13. UTSA

14. FIU

2018 C-USA Women’s Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team

Megan Greene, Charlotte

Ebba Blomqvist, Florida Atlantic

Nomvula Kgoale, Louisiana Tech

Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee (Offensive Player of the Year)

Dominique James, North Texas (Defensive Player of the Year)

Iris Achterhof, Old Dominion

Maya Hoyer, Rice

Annie Walker, Rice

Ola Akinniyi, Southern Miss

Kelsey Daugherty, UAB

Victoria Bohdan, UTEP{&end}