BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Tennessee Southern has been selected as the preseason favorites to win the Mid-South Conference women's soccer regular season title, conference officials announced on Friday.

"It's an honor to be picked first in the preseason poll given that we play in one of the nation's tougherst conferences," said head coach Will Austin. "We have 5 nationally ranked teams in there last season, and I'm sure this season will be just as difficult. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us this season if we are to win the MSC again, and we are excited about the challenge."

UT Southern -- formerly Martin Methodist -- earned 116 points in the poll and nine first-place votes. The FireHawks captured the MSC regular season title last season with an 18-1 overall record, 9-0 in conference play, and reached the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Championship. The FireHawks return their starting 11, including all five All-American selections in Gabby Kennedy, Adisa Amang, Yuki Watari, Suzuho Yamasaki, and Estelle Badoedana Ekada. 

The FireHawks begin the 2021 season on August 18th with an 8:00PM home match against No. 12 Indiana Wesleyan University.