HUDSONVILLE, Mich. – The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) women's soccer coaches have cast their votes in the 2023 edition of their preseason poll. The Trine University women's soccer team has been selected to finish in a tie for second but received the second most first place votes of any team in the association.
Placement is determined by votes cast by the association's coaches, who cannot vote for their own team, with low point total receiving the top spot. The Thunder received two first-place votes and totaled 18 points in the poll. Only Calvin University came in ahead of the team, receiving seven first-place votes and nine points. Hope College finished in a tie with Trine also receiving 18 points.
Head coach Gary Boughton enters his fifth season as the new winningest coach in the program's NCAA Division III history and second most all time. He currently boasts a record of 38-24-8 while at Trine after securing his third-straight winning season in 2022. The Thunder finished 11-5-3 overall while going 5-1-2 in MIAA play last season. The second-place finish in the conference table is the best finish in program history.
Trine returns four 2022 All-MIAA honorees to lead the team this season. Both of the Thunder's first team selections return for their junior campaigns. Sophie Aschemeier returns after serving as one of the two first-team goalkeepers on the list last season. During the 2022 conference slate she finished second in goals allowed (3), goals against average (0.38), save percentage (.906) and wins (5) while finishing fourth in saves made (29).
Classmate Teresa Ashbrook made her second straight appearance on the first team by finishing in a tie atop the MIAA stats board with eight goals. She was second in points with 21 and tied for fourth with four assists. She led the team in both points and goals.
Olivia Butterworth returns after being named to the second team. She was a force in the middle of the field both offensively and defensively in 2022. She finished the season fourth on the team with seven points including three goals and one assists. Olivia Argentieri also returns after a second team showing. She finished last season with three assists. The pair of upperclassmen helped lead the defensive effort for the team. During MIAA play the team allowed just three goals and posted five shutouts, both second best among the conference teams.
The Thunder are set to begin their season when they travel to face Wheaton (Ill.) College on Friday, September 1. The contest is set to start at 3 p.m.