The SLU Women Went 20-2 and won their fifth straight A-10 championship last season. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

Paige Dale
Staff Writer

The 2023 NCAA women’s college soccer season will kick off with a highly anticipated matchup of Top 25 teams, when Saint Louis University will travel to Provo, Utah on Thursday, to take on Brigham Young University.

Both clubs were named in the Top 25 of all three national preseason polls. Saint Louis was ranked No. 13 by College Soccer News, No. 17 by Top Drawer Soccer, and No. 21 by United Soccer Coaches, while Brigham Young was picked at No. 10, No. 12, and No. 13, by the respective publications.

SLU and BYU were both also named the favorites to win their respective conferences. The Billikens were the top choice in the Atlantic 10 Conference, while the Cougars received the same honor for the Big 12.

Both clubs are coming off dynamic 2022 seasons. Saint Louis set a school record win 20 wins last year, on its way to a 20-2 campaign that saw the Billikens win their fifth straight A-10 title and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

BYU went 11-3-7 to finish second in its final season in the West Coast Conference, before winning the WCC Tournament and earning its own bid into the NCAA Tournament.

Both clubs have similar aspirations this season and hope to begin the year with a big win on opening night.

Players to Watch: Thursday’s matchup will feature five players named All-Americans last year. Three for the Billikens — defender Lyndsey Heckel (first team); midfielder Abbie Miller (second team) and goalkeeper Emily Puricelli (third team) — and two for the Cougars, in midfielder Jamie Shepherd (second team) and forward Brecken Mozingo (second team).

All three Billiken players were listed among United Soccer Coaches’ Preseason “Players to Watch” for the 2023 season.

Next Up: SLU will remain on the road for its second game of the season, Sunday, August 20, at Utah State. BYU will play Cal-State Fullerton on Saturday.