FRISCO, Texas – Defending Southland Conference regular season and tournament champions, the Lamar Cardinals lead the way with seven players named to the preseason all-conference teams, announced by the league on Friday. 

There are 17 repeat selections across the two teams, including six defenders, and seven of last year’s eight all-conference midfielders.

The Cardinals have six players on the first team, highlighted by 2022 SLC Goalkeeper of the Year Nicole Panis, and 2022 SLC Defender of the Year Arely Alaniz, both of whom were named to the United Soccer Coaches “Division I Players to Watch” list earlier this week. They’re joined by defender Kaisa Juvonen, midfielders Isela Ramirez and Trinity Clark, and forward Cariel Ellis, who scored 10 goals in 17 games last season, including a joint-league-leading four game-winning goals. Rounding out Lamar’s selections is graduate student Laura Linares, who is a first-time selection to the second team.

The Lions of Texas A&M-Commerce have earned five selections across the two teams, led on the first team by 2022 SLC Freshman of the Year Mya Mitchell, alongside sophomore midfielder Ashley Campuzano, and senior defender Mindy Shoffit. The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders garnered four selections, with forward tandem Megan Guy and Morgan Westbury landing on the top squad. The HCU Huskies have three selections overall, including senior defender Kat Lazor on the top team, whilst Southeastern’s honoree is the reigning SLC Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year Mya Guillory, who rounds out the 13 players named to the first team.

On the second team, a pair of Northwestern State Lady Demons - Caroline Hilliard and Taylor Spitzer - are joined by three selections from McNeese, with Kiana Kukaua, Rachel Young, and Magalie Depot representing the Cowgirls. UIW forward Sierra Wannamaker completes the second team.

The 2023 season kicks off on Thursday, August 17th, with six SLC teams in action on that day, and another two playing their opening fixtures a day later. The 2023 Southland Conference Soccer Tournament will take place in Corpus Christi, Texas, on November 1st, 3rd, and 5th.

Returning players from the 2022 All-Conference teams are automatically named to this year’s Preseason All-Conference teams at their same positions. Vacant positions are nominated and voted upon by the conference’s head coaches. Voting for one’s own player is not permitted.

2023 Southland Conference Preseason First Team

 

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
GK	Nicole Panis	Lamar	Gr.	Opmeer, Netherlands
D	Arely Alaniz	Lamar	Sr.	Deer Park, Texas
D	Kat Lazor	HCU	Sr.	Missouri City, Texas
D	Mindy Shoffit	Texas A&M-Commerce	Sr.	Wichita Falls, Texas
D	Kaisa Juvonen	Lamar	Gr.	Tampere, Finland
MF	Mya Guillory	Southeastern	Sr.	Prairieville, Louisiana
MF	Ashley Campuzano	Texas A&M-Commerce	So.	Dallas, Texas.
MF	Isela Ramirez	Lamar	Jr.	Pflugerville, Texas
MF	Trinity Clark	Lamar	Sr.	Austin, Texas
F	Mya Mitchell	Texas A&M-Commerce	So.	Dallas, Texas
F	Megan Guy	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	Jr.	Roanoke, Texas
F	Morgan Westbury	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	Jr.	McKinney, Texas
F	Cariel Ellis	Lamar	Gr.	Madison, Mississippi

2023 Southland Conference Preseason Second Team

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
GK	Chloe Bagshaw	HCU	So.	Crowthorne, England
D	Caroline Hilliard	Northwestern State	Jr.	Corinth, Texas
D	Mia Salas	HCU	Sr.	San Antonio, Texas
D	Hailey Griffin	Texas A&M-Commerce	Jr.	Trophy Club, Texas
D	Nya Mitchell	Texas A&M-Commerce	So.	Dallas, Texas
MF	Rachel Loetzer	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	Jr.	Frisco, Texas
MF	Molly Arens	Texas A&M-Corpus Christi	Sr.	Belmont North, New South Wales, Australia
MF	Kiana Kukaua	McNeese	Sr.	Valencia, California
MF	Laura Linares	Lamar	Gr.	Barcelona, Spain
F	Taylor Spitzer	Northwestern State	So.	Allen, Texas
F	Sierra Wannamaker	UIW	Sr.	San Antonio, Texas
F	Rachel Young	McNeese	Sr.	Surprise, Arizona
F	Magalie Depot	McNeese	Sr.	Montreal, Quebec, Canada