VALDOSTA, Ga. – Coming off its first NCAA postseason berth since 2014, the Valdosta State women's soccer team was selected fourth in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Poll, announced by the league office Wednesday.  The Blazers garnered 131 points while defending league champion, Lee, was picked as the favorite. 
 
Following Lee, who had eight of the 14 first-place votes and 164 points, was West Florida who garnered the remaining six first-place nods and 153 points.  Mississippi College was tabbed third in the poll with 145 points, followed by the Blazers (131) and Delta State was picked fifth with 118 points. 
 
West Georgia was selected sixth (105), followed by West Alabama (90), Montevallo (88), while Christian Brothers was picked ninth (83) and Alabama Huntsville rounded out the top ten with 65 points.  Auburn Montgomery was picked 11^th (56), followed by Union (34), Spring Hill College (27) and Shorter with 15 points.  
 
In addition, the preseason all-conference team also was announced and VSU, West Florida and Mississippi College led the league with three selections each.  For the Blazers, sophomore defender Taylor Morris, sophomore forward Molly Wooldridge and senior midfielder Bailey Hern were named to the team. 
 
Wooldridge earned GSC Freshman of the Year honors in 2021 and second-team all-conference as she recorded nine goals and three assists for 21 points to lead the team.  She had 35 shots (.257 SH%) with 17 on target (.486 SOG%) in 19 starts for the red and black.  She logged 1,347 minutes for fourth on the team and had two game-winners. 
 
Morris had an outstanding season for the Blazers on the back line in 2021, as she logged 1,513 minutes in 19 starts with one goal and one assist and earned second-team all-conference honors.  Morris' minutes were good for third on the team.   
 
Hern played in 19 games with 15 starts last season and logged 1,186 minutes.  She fired seven goals with four assists for 18 points, finishing second on the team in goals, assists and points.  Hern fired a team-high 39 shots (.179 SH%) with 20 on target (.513 SOG%) and a team-high three game-winners. 
 
The Blazers finished the season with an 11-7-1 record and clinched berths into both the GSC and the NCAA postseason tournaments. VSU finished the year with 39 goals and had 117 shots on goal.  The Blazers' berth in the NCAA postseason was the fourth overall in the history of the program.   
 
Head Coach Stephen Andrew begins his sixth season at the helm of the Blazers and has compiled a school-record 46-29-6 overall (.690) and 37-16-5 (.681) in GSC play.  Also returning this season on the sidelines are graduate assistant Carley Kandel, volunteer assistant Col. Derrick Weyand, along with new graduate assistant Jaylee Gant.  The Blazer staff welcomes ten new faces to the lineup, along with 20 returners. 
 
The 2022 regular season gets underway Aug. 25 at 5:30 p.m. versus Clayton State at the VSU Soccer Complex.  VSU has an exhibition match with Flagler on Aug. 20 at 4 p.m., also at the VSU Soccer Complex.  The Blazers are scheduled to have nine, regular season home matches for the season. 
 
Tickets for the season-opener and the entire season can be purchased by clicking here.