IRVING, Texas – Three UCF women’s soccer players have earned Preseason All-Big 12 recognition in senior forward Chloe Netzel, redshirt sophomore defender Jessica McCullen, and freshman forward Edidiong Etim, as announced by the Big 12 Conference on Thursday afternoon.
Netzel received 2024 Preseason All-Big 12 recognition after fronting the Black and Gold a season ago in goals (7), points (17), and game-winning goals (4). She also capped her junior campaign by receiving Big 12 All-Tournament Team honors after netting the game-winner over TCU in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinal. Netzel, who hails from St. Louis, Missouri, earned NCAA Third Team All-East Region, BIG EAST All-Freshman Team, and BIG EAST All-Tournament Team honors during her two seasons of competition at Xavier.
McCullen too claimed preseason all-conference honors after being named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team last season. During her redshirt freshman year, McCullen made 15 appearances and started 11 matches. She also earned Big 12 Freshman of the Week accolades on Sept. 27 after helping UCF shutout both Houston and Kansas that week. The native of Longwood, Florida, accumulated a total of 1,092 minutes on the pitch last year, which included the full 90 minutes seven times.
Etim recently came to UCF from Nigeria, where she was a member of Nigeria’s U17 squad. The true freshman scored a pair of goals for Nigeria at the 2022 U17 World Cup and also helped Nigeria to a bronze finish that year. She played for the Bayelsa Queens FC of the Nigerian League prior to coming to Orlando.
As a team, the Knights have been picked to finish sixth out of 16 teams in the Big 12 Conference’s Preseason Poll. UCF, who went 10-7-1 overall record in 2023, posted a sixth-place finish in its first season of competition in the Big 12 last year with a 5-4-1 league mark.
BYU, who made the Final Four at the NCAA Championships last season, edged out Texas Tech for the top spot in the preseason poll with 206 total points and nine first-place votes. The defending Big 12 Champion Texas Tech Red Raiders were picked second with 205 points and six first-place votes, while TCU was tabbed third with 197. Newcomers Colorado (174) and Arizona State (157) were picked to finish fourth and fifth, respectively, with the Knights in sixth with 151 points. West Virginia was picked seventh (149), Oklahoma State eighth (145), Baylor ninth (100), Arizona and Utah 10th (94), Cincinnati and Kansas 12th (67), Houston 14th (61), Iowa State 15th (31), and Kansas State 16th (22).
The Black and Gold will host Miami in exhibition action on Saturday at 6 p.m. at UCF Soccer Complex. The Knights will officially open their 2024 campaign on Thursday, Aug. 15 at Florida Atlantic. UCF will then host Utah Valley in its 2024 home opener on Thursday, Aug. 22.
2024 Big 12 Soccer Preseason Team
Nicole Dallin, F, Arizona
Enasia Colon, MF, Arizona State
Lucy Johnson, D, Arizona State
Pauline Nelles, GK, Arizona State
Tyler Isgrig, F, Baylor
Allie Fryer, F/MF, BYU
Edidiong Etim, F, UCF
Jessica McCullen, D, UCF
Chloe Netzel, F, UCF
Shyra James, F, Colorado
Faith Leyba, D, Colorado
Jordan Nytes, GK, Colorado
Aryanna Jimison, F, Houston
Xcaret Pineda, MF, Oklahoma State
Laudan Wilson, MF, Oklahoma State
Seven Castain, F, TCU
Grace Coppinger, D, TCU
Camryn Lancaster, F, TCU
Oli Pena, MF, TCU
Kylie Bahr, D, Texas Tech
Macy Blackburn, D, Texas Tech
Sam Courtwright, MF, Texas Tech
Ashleigh Williams, F, Texas Tech
AJ Rodriguez, MF, West Virginia
2024 Big 12 Preseason Poll
1. BYU (9) – 206
2. Texas Tech (6) – 205
3. TCU (1) – 197
4. Colorado – 174
5. Arizona State – 157
6. UCF – 151
7. West Virginia – 149
8. Oklahoma State – 145
9. Baylor – 100
10. Arizona – 94
Utah – 94
12. Cincinnati – 67
Kansas – 67
14. Houston – 61
15. Iowa State – 31
16. K-State – 22
Congrats to Chloe Netzel, Jessica McCullen and Edidiong Etim for earning Preseason All-Big 12 honors❗
— UCF Women's Soccer (@UCF_WSoccer) August 8, 2024
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