The University of North Georgia women's soccer team was picked to finish third in the Peach Belt Conference this season in a poll of the league's coaches released Tuesday morning. Three-time defending conference champion, Columbus State, was a unanimous selection to repeat as champions.
Armstrong State was picked to finish second in the league, just three points ahead of the Nighthawks. North Georgia was 1-0-1 against the Pirates last season, including a thrilling double overtime victory in the PBC Tournament semifinal.
UNG gave Columbus State three of its best matches last year but came up a goal short in each contest that included the Peach Belt Championship and a match in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
North Georgia has only lost 11 conference games in the last five years and reached the final of the PBC Tournament in 2015. The Nighthawks advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the last five years and will begin the 2016 season ranked #19 in the nation. UNG returns nearly the entire squad from last season's 16-4-1 team with nine of their top 11 point producers returning, including four that were named to the PBC preseason All-Conference team. Jacy Ramey, Jessica Allen, Megan Gil and Sophia Matonak were all first-team All-Conference selections in 2015 while returning forward Rachel VanHorn was a second-team pick.
The Nighthawks have finished second in the league in each of the past two seasons making a trip to the tournament championship match in both years as well.
UNG received six second place votes and six third place votes. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams.
