CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) office announced the 2023 CCC Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll on Monday morning, where the Corban University Women's Soccer program was selected to finish at the No. 5 position once again after finishing the 2022 season in the same location within the conference standings.

To view the entire 2023 CCC Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll, click HERE.

"This season will provide opportunities that this program has never seen before," Warriors' head coach Travez Whyte stated when asked about his team's projected finish within the conference. "As a team, we are excited to see how our focus on God, our desire to be the best possible team we can be, and our hard work will blossom in a year's time. We believe in each other, and we are driven to see what we can accomplish as a cohesive unit."

The 2022 season proved to be one of the best defensive displays that the Warriors have showcased in recent memory, setting single season team records in fewest goals against (12), fewest losses (4), and most shutouts (12). They will return a majority of their defensive front, alongside senior goalkeeper Makida Herbert in what will be her final season of eligibility leading the Navy and Gold between the posts as the program's all-time leader in goals against average (0.97).

A fifth-place finish is realistic floor for a Warrior team that certainly has their sites set on serving as a home team throughout the CCC Tournament at the end of the regular season. Corban has proven that they can defend against formidable offenses, so in order to finish ahead of their projected finish, scoring goals themselves at a higher rate will be the determining factor.

The Yotes of The College of Idaho (16-4-2, 9-1-2) find themselves at the top overall in the CCC Preseason Poll, securing 162 votes and ten of thirteen first-place votes. CI took home the second automatic qualifier spot that the conference has to offer in the 2022 season following a CCC championship game loss to the regular season champions, Northwest University. They would move on to advance further than any other program in the conference throughout the NAIA National Tournament, as the Yotes powered their way to a 2-1 opening round win before being shutout in their opportunity to advance to the final site.

The second and third overall spots in this year's preseason poll are separated by just five total votes, as Eastern Oregon University (12-4-3, 8-2-2) and Southern Oregon University (11-5-3, 9-1-2) each received a first-place vote and tallied 143 and 138 overall votes, respectively. Each program advanced as far as the conference semifinals last season before falling to the regular season champion Eagles and runner-up Yotes.

In surprising fashion, Northwest (17-2-2, 10-1-1) finds its program in the fourth overall position in the 2023 poll, as they received the final first-place vote and nabbed 127 total votes to sit firmly in the top four within the CCC. Despite losing their top defensive and offensive student-athletes to graduation, the Eagles will still present themselves as a worthy adversary and make yet another push towards a conference championship.

The Warriors (11-4-3, 7-2-3) follow the conference championship and semifinal teams from last season in the fifth spot with 110 votes, while the surprise disappointment of the 2022 season, Oregon Tech (6-5-5, 5-3-4), who previously was picked to win the conference last year after a final four finish at the NAIA National Championship Final Site, slides in at the sixth overall position with 106 votes. Carroll College (9-6-4, 6-4-2,) and Rocky Mountain College (5-9-4, 3-6-3) close out the remaining two postseason-bound spots in the 2023 CCC Coaches' Preseason Poll by posting 99 and 91 vote totals, in turn.

Warner Pacific University (58), The Evergreen State College (43), the University of Providence (41), Multnomah University (35), and Bushnell University (30) will all begin the 2023 season with a metaphorical chip on their shoulders to prove the voters wrong and qualify for a postseason position.

The top eight teams in the 2023 regular season standings will earn themselves a position in the CCC Tournament at the end of the year, which is scheduled to begin on November 6th in Springfield, Oregon at the Willamalane Fields.

Corban looks to kick off their season slate this upcoming Saturday with a pair of scrimmages on August 12th, as they will host North Idaho College at 12pm before competing in their annual Alumni Game at 4pm. To view the complete 2023 schedule, click HERE.

2023 CCC Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll Results

The NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll will be released on August 16^th.

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