Pioneers Picked Sixth In WIAC Preseason Poll

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's soccer team was selected to finish sixth in the 2023 WIAC Preseason Poll it was announced on Wednesday.

UW-La Crosse was picked to finish first in the poll after going 7-0 in the WIAC last season, with UW-Eau Claire and UW-Whitewater rounding out the top three.

The Pioneers will be led by first-year head coach Eliza Denmeade, who was promoted after serving as an assistant coach with the program the past two seasons. Denmeade becomes one of two new head coaches in the conference this fall; the other is at UW-Whitewater.

UW-Platteville posted a fifth-place finish in the WIAC last season, going 12-6-2 overall and 3-3-1 in conference play. It was the Pioneers best WIAC finish since 2013, and the program retains 18 letterwinners and seven starters from a year ago.

2022 All-WIAC selection Lydia Smith returns to lead the offensive attack for the Pioneers. The junior forward paced the conference in assists (12) while scoring five goals. Smith broke the program single season assist record while also tallying a pair of game-winning goals.

Junior Alyssa Peterson joins Smith on the UW-Platteville attack, while juniors Anna Spindle and Lauren Lodico return to pilot the midfield and defensive units for the Pioneers. Lodico provided a team-high six goals last season and will partner with sophomore Bryanne Pinkowski on the Pioneers back line.

The Pioneers 2023 season kicks off on Friday, September 1 at Concordia Chicago with the homer opener scheduled for Sunday, September 3 at noon against Concordia Moorhead.

The full WIAC release can be found HERE.