Talent-rich Army lineup favored in Patriot League women's soccer: poll

WEST POINT – High hopes abound as the Army women’s soccer season gets underway.

Once again the Black Knights have been selected as the top preseason pick among the league’s coaches and sports information directors, garnering 13 of the 20 available first-place votes.

Tracy Chao, headed into her third fall season, said she’s pleased with the energy and personalities that is emerging through two weeks of preseason camp, which included a positive scrimmage outing against Delaware on Saturday.

“The group’s been great,’’ she said. “It just takes a little time to continue to get them familiarized on the field. … As we go through non-conference it’ll be good to see us continue to grow through that.’’

Chao said the goal remains the same: win the league.

Army lost six seniors – including all-stars Sydney Bedner and Madison Niebish – from a 2023 team that went 10-6-4 (6-2-1 in league, earning the top seed) and bowed in the finals of the Patriot League tournament.

Six other all-stars remain in the fold: first-team picks Kaelan Bradley at forward and Brigid Duffy at midfield; second-team pick Sage Strohman in goal; and, third-team choices Cami Silvestro in midfield and defenders Jordan Follenweider and Keira Vesy.

Strohman was named the Patriot preseason goalkeeper of the year, with Bradley, Duffy and Vesy also on the preseason list.

Having the all-star Strohman in nets gives Army a strong defensive backing. There is considerable experience in the midfield and great playmakers, allowing the Black Knights to play an aggressive style. “They understand how we want to play, our identity and our principles,’’ Chao said.

Army scored 29 goals last season and allowed 18. Duffy led the team with seven tallies and Bradley posted five.

Army’s 39th season gets underway on Thursday with a home match against Wake Forest. There will also be ensuing non-league home matches with Manhattan (stacked with Mid-Hudson high school graduates), Massachusetts, Central Connecticut, Samford and Providence before two road contests with Minnesota and Air Force.

The 34th season of Patriot League play begins Sept. 20 against American. The annual Army-Navy match will be Oct. 19 at West Point. The rematch of the 2023 championship will have Army traveling to Bucknell on Sept. 28 – the Black Knights lost to the Bison 4-3 on penalty kicks following a scoreless match, a year after bowing 3-1 on PKs in the 2022 final. Army also lost in the 2019 finals and 2021 semifinals. Army won the title in 1993, 2008 and 2011.

There are seven freshmen in the Class of 2028, with forward Annabella Conti and midfielder Grace Pohlidal showing early promise.

kmcmillan@th-record.com

X / Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR

2024 schedule (2023: 10-6-4, 6-2-1 Patriot, first)

August

Thur. 15 – Wake Forest, 6 p.m.; Sun. 18 – Manhattan, 1 p.m.; Thur. 22 – Massachusetts, 3 p.m.; Sun. 25 – Central Connecticut, 1 p.m.; Wed. 28 – Samford, 6 p.m.

September

Sun. 1 – Providence, 1 p.m.; Thur. 5 – at Minnesota, 7 p.m.; Fri. 13 – at Air Force, 6 p.m. ET; Fri. 20 – American* (3-9-4, 3-5-1 Patriot, T-seventh), 5 p.m.; Wed. 25 – Holy Cross* (5-7-5, 2-4-3 Patriot, tenth), 6 p.m.; Sat. 28 – at Bucknell* (12-4-5, 5-1-3 Patriot, second), 1 p.m.

October

Sat. 5 – Lehigh* (7-5-5, 4-4-1 Patriot, fourth), 4 p.m.; Fri. 11 – at Loyola, Md.* (11-6-0, 6-3-0 Patriot, third), 7 p.m.; Wed. 16 – Lafayette* (7-8-1, 3-6-0 Patriot, ninth), 6 p.m.; Sat. 19 – Navy* (9-7-3, 3-5-1 Patriot, sixth), 7 p.m.; Sat. 26 – at Colgate* (4-12-2, 3-5-1 Patriot, T-seventh), 3 p.m.; Wed. 30 – at Boston Univ.* (7-7-6, 3-3-3 Patriot, fifth), TBD

November

Sun. 3 – Patriot League quarterfinals; Thur. 7 – Patriot League semifinals; Sun. 10 – Patriot League final

Home matches played at West Point’s Malek Stadium at Clinton Field; asterisk marks Patriot League match

2024 roster

Seniors: No. 1 Sage Strohman, GK; No. 3 Elizabeth Oberhaus, D; No. 4 Hannah Pohlidal, D; No. 8 Kaelan Bradley, F; No. 9 Grace Edvalds, F; No. 12 Andrea Riddle, D; No. 19 Macy Detty, D; No. 25 Keira Vesy, D

Juniors: No. 5 Bella Cooke, F; No. 17 Jordan Follenweider, D; No. 21 Maddie Allshouse, MF; No. 26 Cami Silvestro, MF; No. 28 Payton Whitney, D; No. 30 Brigid Duffy, MF; No. 31 Gabi Lassiter, D

Sophomores: No. 0 Jordan Hecht, GK; No. 7 Madi Nichols, MF; No. 11 Sabrina Rogers, MF; No. 13 Ariana Diaz, F; No. 14 Madison Woodward, MF; No. 24 Skylar Regan, D; No. 86 Kaitlyn Stake, GK

Freshmen: No. 00 Karalyn Dail, GK; No. 2 Sophie Castro, MF; No. 10 Grace Pohlidal, MF; No. 15 Gabrielle Wamre, MF; No. 18 Annabella Conti, MF; No. 27 Makaela Morrell, F/MF; No. 33 Blanca Webb, D

Coaches: Tracy Chao (head); Tori Ball (assistant); Mason Portalski (assistant)

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Talent-rich Army lineup favored in Patriot League women's soccer: poll