The 2018 NCAA Division I women's soccer season was the 37th season of NCAA women's college soccer. The Stanford Cardinal were defending national champions.
Preseason Coaching changes ProgramOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming coachDate of appointment Army Marcia McDermott mutually parted ways October 30, 2017 Adrian Blewitt December 6, 2017 Austin Peay Kelley Guth Resigned November 8, 2017 Naomi Kolarova December 21, 2017 Cal State Bakersfield Gary Curneen Resigned January 5, 2018 Sebastian Vecchio February 20, 2018 Connecticut Len Tsantiris Retired November 7, 2017 Margaret Rodriguez January 2, 2018 East Carolina Rob Donnenwirth Resigned November 9, 2017 Jason Hamilton December 11, 2017 Eastern Illinois Kiki Lara unknown unknown Jake Plant February 2018 Elon Chris Neal Resigned January 19, 2018 Neil Payne February 22, 2018 Fairfield Jim O'Brien Resigned November 17, 2017 David Barrett January 16, 2018 George Washington Sarah Barnes to Miami (FL) February 27, 2018 Michelle Demko April 13, 2018 Green Bay Phoenix Kimberly Brandão unknown unknown Wojtek Krakowiak (interim) July 2018 Hampton Frank Hughes unknown unknown Kevin Darcy July 26, 2018 High Point Marty Beall to Richmond December 21, 2017 Brandi Fontaine February 5, 2018 Idaho Derek Pittman to UTSA May 7, 2018 Jeremy Clevenger July 11, 2018 Incarnate Word Anne Felts Resigned October 31, 2017 Emma Wright-Cates December 8, 2017 Jacksonville Brian Copham Fired April 24, 2018 Laura Kane May 30, 2018 James Madison Dave Lombardo Retired November 29, 2017 Joshua Walters February 2, 2018 Little Rock Adrian Blewitt to Army December 6, 2017Mark FosterJanuary 16, 2018 Marist Gene Smith Resigned November 8, 2017 Leigh Howard January 11, 2018 Miami (FL) Mary-Frances Monroe Fired January 15, 2018 Sarah Barnes February 27, 2018 Miami (OH) Bobby Kramig Resigned August 4, 2017 Courtney Sirmans December 18, 2017 Michigan Greg Ryan Fired January 25, 2018 Jennifer Klein February 28, 2018 Montana Mark Plakorus Resigned January 30, 2018 Chris Citowicki May 7, 2018 Mount St. Mary's Joe Nemzer to Sky Blue FC January 25, 2018 Tori Krause March 13, 2018 Murray State Jeremy Groves to Mississippi State January 8, 2018 Matt Lodge January 24, 2018 New Mexico State Freddy Delgado Fired November 5, 2017 Rob Baarts January 5, 2018 North Dakota State Mark Cook Resigned November 28, 2017 Michael Regan January 19, 2018 Northern Illinois John Ross unknown unknown Julie Colhoff March 8, 2018 Northwestern State George Van Linder Resigned November 9, 2017 Jess Jobe & Anna Jobe December 19, 2017 Notre Dame Theresa Romagnolo Resigned January 22, 2018 Nate Norman February 20, 2018 Pittsburgh Greg Miller Fired November 3, 2017 Randy Waldrum December 19, 2017 Portland Garrett Smith Fired November 7, 2017 Michelle French December 15, 2017 Richmond Peter Albright Resigned November 8, 2017 Marty Beall December 21, 2017 Sacred Heart Kim Banner unknown February 27, 2018 Matt Micros April 9, 2018 South Dakota Mandy Green Fired November 1, 2017 Michael Thomas December 12, 2017 UMass Ed Matz Fired November 6, 2017 Jason Dowiak December 19, 2017 UMass Lowell Francesco D'Agostino Resigned June 13, 2018 Mira Novak (interim) July 26, 2018 UMBC Leslie Wray Fired November 16, 2017 Vanessa Mann January 19, 2018 UNC Asheville Michelle Demko to George Washington April 13, 2018 Lindsay Vera May 22, 2018 UNC Wilmington Paul Cairney discontinued from the university June 20, 2018 Chris Neal July 3, 2018 UTSA Greg Sheen to Washington State February 27, 2018 Derek Pittman May 7, 2018 Western Michigan Lauren Sinacola to Notre Dame April 19, 2018 Sarah Stanczyk July 13, 2018 William & Mary John Daly Retired November 10, 2017 Julie Cunningham Shackford December 12, 2017 Wofford Amy Kiah Resigned June 26, 2018 Eric Lewis (interim) July 19, 2018 Youngstown State Fabio Boateng Resigned November 7, 2017 Brian Shrum December 5, 2017
Conference realignment Six schools joined new conferences this season. Four moved their entire athletic programs to new conferences, two NCAA Division II members that sponsor women's soccer announced during the 2016–17 offseason that they would upgrade their athletic programs to Division I effective in 2018, and one began play in its current all-sports league. One conference announced that it would no longer use divisions for its women's soccer seasonal competition.
ProgramOld ConferenceNew ConferenceReference California Baptist NCAA Division II WAC Hampton None Big South Liberty Big South ASUN North Alabama NCAA Division II ASUN North Dakota Big Sky Summit USC Upsate ASUN Big South
The Mid-American Conference previously divided its teams into an East and West Division. However, in 2018 the league discontinued this and all teams were considered to be in one division.
Season Overview
Polls
Pre-season polls United Soccer CoachesRankTeam1 Stanford2 UCLA3 Duke4 Penn State5 South Carolina6 North Carolina7 Florida8 Virginia9 West Virginia10 Florida State11 Texas A&M12 USC13 Princeton14 Notre Dame15 Baylor16 UCF17 Texas18 Pepperdine19 Santa Clara20 NC State21 Washington State22 Georgetown23 Ohio State24 Rutgers25 Tennessee Top Drawer SoccerRankTeam1 Stanford2 UCLA3 North Carolina4 Florida5 Virginia6 Penn State7 Duke8 South Carolina9 Florida State10 Texas A&M11 USC12 Princeton13 West Virginia14 Santa Clara15 UCF16 NC State17 Tennessee18 USF19 Notre Dame20 Oklahoma State21 Arizona22 Baylor23 Pepperdine24 Texas25 Washington State Soccer AmericaRankTeam1 Stanford2 UCLA3 Penn State4 North Carolina5 Florida6 Florida State7 Virginia8 West Virginia9 USC10 Duke11 Princeton12 Baylor13 Texas A&M14 South Carolina15 Georgetown16 California17 Santa Clara18 NC State19 Tennessee20 UCF21 Notre Dame22 Pepperdine23 Texas24 Washington State25 Oklahoma State
Major upsets
Date Winner Score Loser August 17, 2018 Albany 1–0 No. 21 Arizona August 18, 2018 Illinois 2–1 No. 3 Duke August 26, 2018 No. 23 Oklahoma State 1–0 No. 5 Florida August 26, 2018 Illinois 2–1 No. 14 Oklahoma State September 2, 2018 Wake Forest 1–0 No. 5 Penn State September 16, 2018 Minnesota 2–0 No. 12 Northwestern September 20, 2018 Arkansas 3–2 No. 2 Texas A&M September 20, 2018 Clemson 1–0 (2 OT) No. 4 Virginia September 20, 2018 Mississippi State 2–1 No. 13 South Carolina September 23, 2018 Ole Miss 3–2 No. 9 Auburn September 23, 2018 Boston College 2–1 No. 7 Florida State September 27, 2018 Virginia Tech 1–0 No. 6 Virginia September 27, 2018 Wake Forest 2–1 No. 11 Boston College September 20, 2018 Oklahoma 2–1 No. 12 Oklahoma State October 4, 2018 Clemson 1–0 No. 10 Florida State October 7, 2018 Maryland 2–1 No. 14 Northwestern October 7, 2018 Pepperdine 1–0 No. 4 Santa Clara October 7, 2018 Utah 1–0 No. 7 Washington State October 7, 2018 No. 19 Vanderbilt 3–1 No. 9 Tennessee October 11, 2018 UCF 1–0 No. 15 Memphis October 14, 2018 USF 2–0 No. 15 Memphis October 19, 2018 Alabama 1–0 No. 5 Texas A&M October 21, 2018 No. 18 Tennessee 4–0 No. 5 Texas A&M October 21, 2018 LSU 4–0 No. 7 South Carolina October 25, 2018 Kansas 1–0 (OT) No. 13 West Virginia October 25, 2018 Ole Miss 1–0 No. 7 Vanderbilt October 27, 2018 BYU 2–0 No. 6 Santa Clara
Award winners Players of the Week WeekPlayerPositionTeam1 CeCe Kizer MF Ole Miss2 Cyera Hintzen FW Texas3 Nonie Frishette GK Wake Forest4 Melissa Weck GK Florida Gulf Coast5 Mikayla Krzeczowski GK South Carolina6 Chelsee Washington MF Bowling Green7 Raimee Sherle FW Boise State8 Sam Coffey MF Boston College9 Evelyne Viens FW South Florida10 Deyna Castellanos FW Florida State11 Atlanta Primus FW Cal State Fullerton
Conference winners and tournaments
ConferenceRegular Season Champion(s)Tournament WinnerConference TournamentTournamentDatesTournament Venue (City) America East Stony BrookHartford Albany 2018 Tournament Oct. 25 - Nov. 4 Campus sites, hosted by higher seed American South Florida Memphis 2018 Tournament Oct. 31 - Nov. 4 Corbett Soccer Stadium • Tampa, Florida Atlantic 10 Saint Louis 2018 Tournament Oct. 27 - Nov. 4 Quarterfinals: Campus sites, hosted by higher seedSemi-finals and Final: Baujan Field • Dayton, Ohio ACC North Carolina Florida State 2018 Tournament Oct. 28 - Nov. 4 Quarterfinals: Campus sites, hosted by higher seedSemi-finals and Final: Sahlen's Stadium • Cary, North Carolina Atlantic Sun Lipscomb 2018 Tournament Oct. 26 – Nov. 3 Campus sites, hosted by higher seed Big 12 Baylor West Virginia 2018 Tournament Oct. 28 – Nov. 4 Children's Mercy Victory Field • Kansas City, Missouri Big East Georgetown 2018 Tournament Oct. 28 – Nov. 4 Campus sites, hosted by higher seed Big Sky Weber State Montana 2018 Tournament Oct. 31 – Nov. 4 Wildcat Soccer Field • Ogden, Utah Big SouthRadford 2018 Tournament Oct. 26 – Nov. 4 Quarterfinals: Campus sites, hosted by higher seedSemi-finals and Final: Sportsplex at Matthews • Matthews, North Carolina Big Ten Penn St Minnesota 2018 Tournament Oct. 28 – Nov. 4 Quarterfinals: Campus sites, hosted by higher seedSemi-finals and Final: Grand Park • Westfield, Indiana Big West Long Beach State 2018 Tournament Nov. 1 – Nov. 4 Anteater Stadium • Irvine, California CAA James Madison Hofstra 2018 Tournament Oct. 26 – Nov. 3 Campus sites, hosted by higher seed C-USA North Texas 2018 Tournament Oct 31. – Nov. 4 Old Dominion Soccer Complex • Norfolk, Virginia Horizon Milwaukee 2018 Tournament Oct. 29 – Nov. 3 Quarterfinals: Campus sites, hosted by higher seedSemi-finals and Final: Engelmann Stadium • Milwaukee, Wisconsin Ivy Princeton No Tournament MAAC Monmouth 2018 Tournament Oct. 28 – Nov. 4 Campus sites, hosted by higher seed MAC Bowling Green 2018 Tournament Oct. 28 – Nov. 4 Quarterfinals: Campus sites, hosted by higher seedSemi-finals and Final: Mickey Cochrane Stadium • Bowling Green, Ohio Missouri Valley Loyola 2018 Tournament Oct. 28 – Nov. 4 Quarterfinals: Campus sites, hosted by higher seedSemi-finals and Final: Loyola Soccer Park • Chicago, Illinois Mountain West Boise State San Jose State 2018 Tournament Oct. 30 – Nov. 3 Spartan Soccer Complex • San Jose, CA Northeast Central Connecticut 2018 Tournament Nov. 2 – Nov. 4 Central Connecticut Soccer Field • New Britain, Connecticut Ohio Valley UT Martin Murray State 2018 Tournament Oct. 26 – Nov. 4 First Round and Quarterfinals: Campus sites, hosted by higher seedSemi-finals and Final: Skyhawk Soccer Field • Martin, Tennessee Pac-12 Stanford No Tournament Patriot Boston University 2018 Tournament Oct. 30 – Nov. 4 Quarterfinals: Campus sites, hosted by higher seedSemi-finals and Final: Nickerson Field • Boston, Massachusetts SEC Vanderbilt LSU 2018 Tournament Oct. 28 – Nov. 4 Orange Beach Sportsplex • Orange Beach, Alabama SoCon Samford UNC Greensboro 2018 Tournament Oct. 24 – Nov. 4 First Round and Quarterfinals: Campus sites, hosted by higher seedSemi-finals and Final: Betts Stadium • Macon, Georgia Southland Central Arkansas Abilene Christian 2018 Tournament Oct. 31 - Nov. 4 Lamar Soccer Complex • Beaumont, TX The Summit Denver South Dakota St Denver 2018 Tournament Nov. 1 – Nov. 3 Fishback Soccer Park • Brookings, South Dakota Sun Belt Texas State Little Rock 2018 Tournament Oct. 31 – Nov. 4 Foley Sports Complex • Foley, Alabama SWAC Grambling State Howard 2018 Tournament Nov. 1 – Nov. 4 Prairie View A&M Athletic Complex • Prairie View, Texas WCC BYU No Tournament WAC UMKC Seattle 2018 Tournament Oct. 31 – Nov. 4 Clyde Field • Orem, UT
Conference standings
References