WOMEN’S SOCCER
MADISON — University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, the two-time defending champion, has been selected to claim the 2024 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women’s soccer regular-season title, according to a preseason poll conducted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
The Eagles won the sixth regular-season crown in program archives last season and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III Championship for the second time in three years. UW-La Crosse has recorded at least 20 wins each of the last two seasons to become just the second program in the WIAC to accomplish the feat (UW-Whitewater in 2015 and 2016). The Eagles bring back nine returners from a year ago, including Alexis McMahon (2022 and 2023 WIAC Defensive Player of the Year), Ellie Arndt (2023 Offensive Player of the Year) and Sophia Anger (2023 WIAC Goalkeeper of the Year).
UW-Eau Claire is slotted for second in the conference race. The Blugolds have three regular-season titles with the most recent in 2007. This year’s roster features eight returning starters, including Kennedy Boll, Paige Crawford, and Elise Pinewski — all earned All-WIAC first team honors in 2023. UW-Eau Claire has reached double-digits in overall wins four consecutive seasons and three years with at least four WIAC victories in that stretch.
UW-Platteville is picked to finish third in the conference standings. The Pioneers accumulated at least 10 overall victories during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. It is the first time in program history that feat has been accomplished. Additionally, the seven WIAC wins in the last two years are the most in consecutive seasons. UW-Platteville has 10 starters back, including All-WIAC first team selections Arianna Lombardi and Lydia Smith.
WIAC teams will begin their non-conference schedules on Aug. 30, while the conference slate will commence on Oct. 2. The top-six teams in the league standings will qualify for the WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver’s). The event will be held Nov. 5, Nov. 7 and Nov. 9, with all matches hosted by the higher-seeded team. The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic NCAA bid.
MEN’S SOCCER
The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) welcomes back men’s soccer as a championship sport this fall for the first time since 2014. Men’s soccer was a WIAC sport from 2009-14.
Teams competing will include UW-Eau Claire, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout and UW-Whitewater.
UW-Eau Claire previously competed as an independent, while UW-Platteville (2022-23) and UW-Whitewater (2019-23) were members of the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference. UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Stout will make their men’s soccer debuts in 2024.
A trio of coaches will make their WIAC coaching debuts, including UW-River Falls’ Evan Sassano, UW-Stevens Point’s Jordan Kayser and UW-Stout’s Marcos Rodriguez.
WIAC teams will begin their non-conference schedules on Aug. 30, while the conference slate will commence on Oct. 4. The top-six teams in the league standings will qualify for the WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver’s). The event will be held Nov. 6, Nov. 8 and Nov. 10, with all matches hosted by the higher-seeded team. The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic NCAA bid.
