Indiana University Athletics
Keller, Smith, Ellis Named Players To Watch
8/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
CHICAGO - The Big Ten Conference announced the 2014 Big Ten Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll as well as the Players To Watch list, featuring three Hoosiers. The players to watch from Indiana include senior midfielder Tori Keller, senior midfielder Abby Smith and sophomore midfielder Veronica Ellis.
Keller played in all 23 matches last year as a defender, helping the Hoosiers set a program record with nine shutouts on their way to advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She has two goals and four assists in her career.
Smith has 11 career goals scored - six of which have proven to be the game-winning goal - to go along with 11 assists as she enters her senior season. Last year, she registered five goals and eight assists as a junior.
Ellis made a splash during her freshman campaign, scoring three goals - all of which were game-winning goals. Perhaps the biggest goal of the season came in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when her goal late in the second half propelled the Hoosiers to a 1-0 victory over DePaul.
In the coaches' poll, the Hoosiers were picked to finish 10th out of the 14 conference team as voted on by the conference coaches. Last year, Indiana checked in at 12th in the preseason coaches' poll but went on to a 6-5 record and finished the regular season in fourth place.
BIG TEN WOMEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. Penn State
2. Wisconsin
3. Maryland
4. Nebraska
5. Michigan
6. Ohio State
7. Illinois
T8. Iowa
T8. Rutgers
10. Indiana
11. Minnesota
12. Michigan State
13. Northwestern
14. Purdue
BIG TEN WOMEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH
Jannelle Flaws, Illinois, Sr., Forward
Taylore Peterson, Illinois, Jr., Midfield
Aliina Weykamp, Illinois, Jr., Defense/Midfield
Tori Keller, Indiana, Sr., Midfield
Abby Smith, Indiana, Sr., Midfield
Veronica Ellis, Indiana, So., Midfield
Melanie Pickert, Iowa, Sr., Defense
Cloe Lacasse, Iowa, Sr., Forward
Caitlin Brown, Iowa, Sr., Defense
Aubrey Baker, Maryland, Jr., Midfield
Rachelle Beanlands, Maryland, Jr., Goalkeeper
Cory Ryan, Maryland, Sr., Forward
Madisson Lewis, Michigan, So., Midfield/Forward
Nicky Waldeck, Michigan, So., Forward
Ani Sarkisian, Michigan, Fr., Midfield/Forward
Mary Kathryn Fiebernitz, Michigan State, Jr., Defense
Paige Wester, Michigan State, Sr., Forward
Megan Marsack, Michigan State, Sr., Midfield
Katie Thyken, Minnesota, Sr., Midfield
Tarah Hobbs, Minnesota, So., Goalkeeper
Josee Stiever, Minnesota, So., Midfield
Jaycie Johnson, Nebraska, So., Forward
Mayme Conroy, Nebraska, Sr., Forward
Caroline Gray, Nebraska, Sr., Midfield
Niki Sebo, Northwestern, Jr., Midfield
Margo McGinty, Northwestern, Jr., Defense/Midfield
Jackie Alyinovich, Northwestern, Sr., Defense
Nichelle Prince, Ohio State, So., Forward
Kayla Varner, Ohio State, Sr., Forward
Nikki Walts, Ohio State, Fr., Midfield
Emily Hurd, Penn State, Sr., Midfield
Mallory Weber, Penn State, Jr., Forward
Raquel Rodriguez, Penn State, Jr., Forward/Midfield
Mollie Kuramoto, Purdue, Sr., Midfield
Maddy Williams, Purdue, So., Forward
Alex Hairston, Purdue, Sr., Forward
Madison Tiernan, Rutgers, So., Midfield
Erica Skroski, Rutgers, Jr., Defense
Stef Scholz, Rutgers, Sr., Forward
Rose Lavelle, Wisconsin, So., Midfield/Forward
Cara Walls, Wisconsin, Sr., Forward
Genevieve Richard, Wisconsin, Sr., Goalkeeper
