IRVING, Texas – Officials from the American Conference office announced on Tuesday the results of the conference Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll and also the members of the 2025 Women's Soccer Watch List. As a team, UTSA was picked at eighth heading into the Roadrunners’ third season in the league and eighth under head coach Derek Pittman. In addition, three first-time honorees were named to the 2025 American Women’s Soccer Watch List, junior Jasmine Kessler, senior Zoё May and junior Michelle Polo.
Kessler (junior/goalkeeper/Spring, Texas) was selected for the first time despite her outstanding history in the net for the Roadrunners. Recently named as a nominee for the 2025 Fall Allstate NACDA Good Works Team, Kessler was selected to the All-Freshman Team after her 2023 rookie season and hasn’t let up, anchoring a UTSA defense that has remained top 3 in the American’s goals-against-average rankings throughout her time in the net. Combining her efforts of the past two seasons, Kessler is penciled atop UTSA’s all-time career GAA leaderboard at 0.79 through 30 games between the pipes. She’s accumulated 98 saves and has 10 shutouts to date. Last season, Kessler was fourth in the conference with an .803 save percentage, making a league-sixth 61 stops toward her conference-third 0.86 GAA.
May (senior/midfielder/Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) was the Roadrunners’ steadiest presence last season, starting and playing all 18 games after joining UTSA as a transfer from Memphis. May led all non-goalkeeper players at 85.6 minutes per game, going the full 90 in 14 contests. A proven disruptor in UTSA’s press, May also had a .500 shot-on-goal percentage, scoring once with one assist on the year. She assisted the Roadrunners to an NCAA 40th-best (third AAC) .833 goals-against-average, limiting opponents to an AAC-third 15 goals the entire 2024 season.
Polo (junior/midfielder/Magnolia, Texas) was a consistent presence for the Roadrunners last season and has appeared in 28 games for UTSA over the past two years. Starting 14-of-18 games in 2024, Polo co-led the Roadrunners in assists a year ago with four, while also keeping opposing defenders busy with a team-high 30 shots and playing 61.8 minutes per game.
For the second consecutive year, UTSA was picked eighth in the American Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll. The Roadrunners narrowly missed the American Championships field last season, doing their job with a 2-1 win over Florida Atlantic to close the 2024 season – however, unlikely outcomes in other league finales reshaped the tournament field. UTSA finished the campaign at 8-7-3 overall (3-5-2 AMER) for the fourth consecutive season result at or above .500. The 2025 poll is topped by defending regular season champion Memphis (six first-place votes), ahead of South Florida (four first-place votes), Rice and 2024 conference tournament champion East Carolina (one first-place vote). UTSA sits just behind North Texas, Tulsa and UAB. The Roadrunners were selected ahead of Florida Atlantic, Charlotte and Temple.
The 2025 American Women’s Soccer Championship will be held November 3-9 at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
|
2025 American Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll |
||
|
1. |
Memphis (6) |
96 |
|
2. |
South Florida (4) |
94 |
|
3. |
Rice |
76 |
|
4. |
East Carolina (1) |
64 |
|
5. |
North Texas |
63 |
|
6. |
Tulsa |
48 |
|
7. |
UAB |
47 |
|
8. |
UTSA |
38 |
|
9. |
Florida Atlantic |
36 |
|
10. |
Charlotte |
33 |
|
11 |
Temple |
10 |
(first-place votes)
Up Next
The Roadrunners’ 20th season officially kicks off this week with a 7 p.m. matchup on Thursday, Aug. 14 at Park West against Houston. Ninth-ranked TCU will come to Park West at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 17.
Season tickets are on sale now and all UTSA Soccer season tickets are general admission. Season tickets are $65. For an additional $35 at time of purchase (a total price of $100), season-ticket members will receive a limited-edition UTSA Soccer 20th Season scarf and also will be invited to exclusive chalk-talks with head coach Derek Pittman and his staff before select home games.
To purchase season tickets, click here to order online or call the UTSA Athletics Ticket Office at 210-458-8872 during normal business hours.
- UTSA -