Christopher Newport was voted conference favorites atop the 2022 Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) Women's Soccer Preseason Poll. The Captains collected 49 points and seven first-place votes to lead the rankings. 

UC Santa Cruz earned one first-place vote and 39 points to finish second, while Mary Washington received 38 points to sit third in the rankings. Salisbury finished in fourth place with 29 points

Pratt Institute is positioned fifth after receiving 23 points with Finlandia next in sixth place with 23 points. C2C newcomer Warren Wilson College collected 15 points to sit in seventh while Mount Mary earned nine points to close out the rankings.

The 2022 season kicks off the first week of September with the C2C Women's Soccer Championship, a 6-team tournament, being hosted by Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va. on November 3, 4 & 6. 

Below is a brief preview of each team entering the 2021 season: 

#1 Christopher Newport: The reigning Division III National Champions are riding a 23-game unbeaten streak entering the 2022 campaign after finishing the most successful season in program history with a 22-0-1 record. The Captains will need to replace First-Team All-Americans Riley Cook offensively and Haley Eiser in goal, but return all nine of the remaining starters from the championship team a year ago. Forward Sarah Smith and center-back Jill McDonald each collected All-American plaudits last year and will look to lead Christopher Newport in their senior season in 2022. With McDonald, the entire record-breaking defense that started in front of Eiser returns with juniors Sarah Rhiel, Nyah Savage, and sophomore Re Slater back after allowing just seven total goals in 23 games last year. 

#2 UC Santa Cruz:  Seniors Katie Herm and Julia Hernandez highlight one of the deepest midfields in program history as the Banana Slugs return 22 players from last year's squad that finished as C2C runner-up. Sophomore Forward Payton Cichowski led the team with 10 goals and was named C2C Rookie of the Year. Emily De Los Santos, Bronwyn Eyre, Alexia Santos, and Angela Bradbury played every game in 2021 while marshaling a defense that got stronger as the season went on. In addition to the experienced core, eight talented newcomers join UC Santa Cruz this Fall.

#3 Mary Washington: Mary Washington welcomes a strong incoming class to bolster a squad that advanced to the C2C semifinals a year ago. Leading the returnees are All-Conference defender Shelby DeJong, as well as scoring leader Mikaela O'Fallon, and multiple-year starters Amanda Krest, Macey Wissell, and Delaney Boyer from a strong senior class of nine players.

#4 Salisbury:  Salisbury's attack is paced by senior forward Autumn Dougherty, who led the Sea Gulls in goals (6) and points (14) on the way to earning First-Team All-C2C honors in 2021. On the back line, SU will lean on junior defender Lauren Spelman, who started 15 of 18 games and was named Second-Team All-C2C. Spelman anchored a Sea Gull defense that earned four of the team's six wins via shutout.

#5 Pratt: The Cannoneers look to bounce back from a 5-7-1 record with significant returners who lead Pratt to a 2.85 goals-per-game average. Sophomore forward Siena Sujitno led the team last season with 15 goals and one assist while Grace Florence, who was named to the C2C All-Conference Second-Team, tallied seven goals and six assists in 2021. Other returning players who are set to make an impact offensively are junior midfielder Ava Hunwick, who recorded two goals and three assists last season, and junior forward Amelie Stoddard who tallied five goals and one assist.

#6 Finlandia:  The Lions have eight starters among its 13 returning players.  Leading the charge is junior goalkeeper Aspen Wallin who finished among the Top Five in the C2C for G.A.A., Saves, and Save Percentage.

#7 Warren Wilson: The Owls welcome six freshmen, two transfers, and 12 returners for the Fall 2022 Season. Head Coach Heather Davis is excited for the continued growth of the team as it builds into the Division III schedule and competes for a conference championship in November. 

#8 Mount Mary:  John Bailie begins his fifth season as head coach for Mount Mary soccer while hoping for a bounce-back season.  The team returns several young players who earned valuable playing time last season -  combined with an exciting group of six newcomers all of who could contribute immediately.