Aggies open season with weekend home stand, picked fourth in pre-season poll

The Utah State women’s soccer team will open up its season this weekend with a couple of home games.

On Friday USU will take on Central Arkansas at 4 p.m. The Aggies will then host Missouri State on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The team is predicted to tie for fourth with New Mexico in the pre-season Mountain West Conference coaches poll. Defending champion San Diego State is picked to finish first in the poll.

1. San Diego State (9) 119

2. Colorado College (2) 109

3. Wyoming 96

4. New Mexico 82

Utah State 82

6. Boise State (1) 81

7. San José State 53

UNLV 53

9. Air Force 43

10. Fresno State 34

11. Colorado State 23

12. Nevada 17

The Aggies finished fifth last season in the conference and head coach Heather Cairns said she wants to finish higher this year.

“The conference is looking as tough as ever, it just keeps improving,” Cairns said. “We’ve finished fifth in the conference the past two seasons, so we want to work on improving our finish. We want to make a run at the conference tournament in San Diego.”

Four of last year’s starters graduated, while 16 letter winners return. The team also has eight freshmen.