WAC 2024 WSOC Release Week 1

THE 2024 SEASON IS HERE!
The WAC women’s soccer 2024 season begins this Thursday, August 15th as key matchups on opening week include Seattle U at Oregon, Utah Valley at Michigan, and Grand Canyon hosting Arizona. The first week of the season will consist of 15 games.

WOLVERINES ARE PRESEASON FAVORITES FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR
Utah Valley, for the second consecutive year, is voted the preseason favorites by the league’s head coaches heading into the 2024 season. The reigning regular season champion received five first-place votes and 46 points from the preseason coaches’ poll. Seattle U and Grand Canyon share the second-place spot in the poll as both received 39 points. The Redhawks earned two first-place votes while the Lopes got one first-place vote. 

WEBBER TO LEAD UTAH VALLEY AS PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Utah Valley senior forward Faith Webber was selected as the 2024 WAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Webber started in all 19 games last year and led the Wolverines to its second straight WAC regular season championship. She broke the UVU single season goals and points record with 16 goals and 36 points in 2023, both ranking second best in the conference on the year. 

RAFFENSPERGER AND SUMMIT SPLIT PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 
Seattle U senior Kait Raffensperger and California Baptist redshirt senior Taylor Summit were voted as the 2024 WAC Preseason Defensive Players of the Year. Raffensperger helped the Redhawks to seven shutout wins and led the team to the conference championship match in 2023. Summit started in all 19 games for the Lancers, seven of those matches ending in shutout victories. 

JACKSON FOLLOWS WAC CHAMPIONSHIP WITH PRESEASON GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Grand Canyon senior DeAira Jackson was chosen as the 2024 WAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year. Jackson started all 23 games in net for the Lopes and accumulated 67 saves with a 0.770 save percentage. Jackson totaled seven shutouts in 2023, second most in the conference. Last year she made the WAC All-Tournament Team after winning the WAC women’s soccer championship match with the Lopes.

GRAND CANYON’S TITLE DEFENSE BEGINS NOW
The Lopes captured the 2023 WAC Tournament Championship with a 4-2 win over Seattle U. They finished off the year with an overall record of 14-5-4 and a conference record of 5-1-3. Grand Canyon looks to capture their second straight WAC tournament title and third in the last four years.