By Steve Lansdale
AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas soccer team will kick off the 2019 season in a familiar position: ranked among the nation’s best teams.
The Longhorns start the upcoming season ranked [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]No. 19 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason poll, extending to 25 the number of USC polls in which they have been ranked among the top 25.
The preseason ranking makes it two years in a row in which the Longhorns will start the season ranked No. 19.
The 2019 roster will include 24 letter winners from last year’s squad, including two-time USC All-America forward Cyera Hintzen, two-time USC All-Region midfielder/forward Haley Berg and reigning Big 12 Co-Freshman of the Year Julia Grosso, who also is a midfielder on the Canadian national team.
Florida State won the2018 national championship and begins the 2019 season atop the preseason rankings, followed by North Carolina, Stanford, UCLA and USC. Three other teams from the Big 12 joined UT in the preseason poll: West Virginia (No. 11), Baylor (14) and Texas Tech (22).
The Longhorns finished the 2018 season ranked No. 20 in the country, compiling a record of 13-5-3, reaching the Big 12 Conference Championship semifinals and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament, losing to Virginia Tech in the first round, 1-0.
The Texas soccer season starts at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16 with an exhibition game against Air Force at Mike A. Myers Stadium. Admission will be free to the game, which will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network.
United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25
Rank School (first-place votes)
1. Florida State (33)
2. North Carolina
3. Stanford (1)
4. UCLA
5. USC
6. Penn State (1)
7. Georgetown
8. Duke
9. Virginia
10. Tennessee
11. West Virginia
12. Texas A&M
13. Santa Clara
14. Baylor
15. South Carolina
16. Wisconsin
17. Vanderbilt
18. South Florida
19. Texas
20. Memphis
21. North Carolina State
22. Texas Tech
23. Wake Forest
24. LSU
25. Virginia Tech
Also receiving votes: Clemson (73), Florida (70), TCU (54), Arkansas (45), BYU (45) Arizona (37), Boston College (33), Minnesota (33), Kansas (30), Rutgers (29), Utah (29), Washington State (29), Princeton (27), Ole Miss (18), Colorado (13), Louisville (11), California (10), Saint Louis (8), Auburn (6), Arizona State (5), SMU (3), Butler (3), North Texas (1), Ohio State (1), Samford (1)
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