BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-- The Mississippi College women's soccer team was picked to finish third in the Gulf South Conference preseason poll (as released by the conference on Wednesday, Aug 10). The trio of Emma Young, Avery Hederman, and Beatrice Currie were also named to the conference's 13-player preseason All-Conference team.

The three players on the preseason team for MC is tied for the most in the conference (alongside West Florida and Valdosta State).

Emma Young, a defender from Lafayette, La., returns for MC after one of the most decorated individual seasons in school history a year ago. She earned 1st team All-American honors (United Soccer Coaches) for her efforts in 2021. Young also earned 1st team All-South region honors (from both the USC and D2CCA), as well as being 1st team All-GSC. She was also named GSC Defensive Player of the Year last season. Young led the team a year ago in minutes played with 1,601, while contributing two assists. For her career, she has appeared in 44 matches (28 starts), while scoring three goals along with four assists.

Avery Hederman, a midfielder from Jackson, Miss., is also a returning 1st team All-Region and All-GSC selection for the Lady Choctaws. She earned 1st team All-South Region honors a year ago (D2CCA), as well as 2nd team All-South region honors from the United Soccer Coaches. She was also a 1st team All-GSC selection. Hederman scored six goals a year ago, and also contributed four assists. That put her third on the team in points with 16. For her career, she has eleven goals and eight assists across 35 matches (28 starts).

Beatrice Currie, a forward from Sydney River, Nova Scotia, Canada, rounds out the returning All-GSC players who are now tabbed to the preseason team. She was a 1st team All-GSC selection a year ago, as well as being named 2nd team All-South Region (by both the United Soccer Coaches and D2CCA). Currie led the team with nine goals last season, and she also added three assists. She led the team in points as well with 21. Currie was also named to the GSC Spring Championship Series All-Tournament team in the spring of 2021 in her debut season in Clinton. For her career, Currie has eleven goals and seven assists across 26 matches.

The Lady Choctaws were tabbed to finish third with 145 points in the GSC in the conference's preseason coaches poll, as MC looks to build off of a second place finish in the conference table and an appearance in NCAA Regionals a year ago. MC went 12-4-2 last year with a 10-3 mark in Gulf South Conference play

The defending league champions, Lee University, were tabbed first as they picked up eight first place votes and racked up 164 points.  They were followed by West Florida in second who picked up the remaining six first place votes and received 153 points.

Valdosta State (131 points) and Delta State (118) round out the top five behind MC. Following them in the top ten are West Georgia (105), West Alabama (90), Montevallo (88), Christian Brothers (83), and Alabama-Huntsville (65). Then Auburn-Montgomery (56), Union (34), Spring Hill (27), and Shorter (15) round out the poll.

The GSC also announced their Top Newcomers list along with the preseason team. MC's honorees on the top newcomers list are Eduarda Silva and Margherita Giubilato.

Eduarda Silva, a defender/midfielder, comes to MC as a freshman from Braga, Portugal. She previously played for FC Braga. 

Margherita Giubilato, a midfielder, is a native of Martellago, Venice, Italy. She previously played at the Istituto Dante Alighieri.

The Lady Choctaws will open up their season on August 26th on the road in Columbus, GA against Queens University of Charlotte.