FAIRFAX, Va. - The Atlantic 10 Conference announced its preseason women's soccer rankings on Wednesday, with George Mason picked to finish third with 163 total points in the coaches' poll, including one first place vote.
 
Saint Louis, who won the A-10 Championship last season, received 13 first place votes and was selected to finish first with 192 total points. Virginia Commonwealth was projected to finish second in the conference with 176 total votes. Aside from the Billikens, the Patriots were the only other program to receive a first place vote.
 
Saint Joseph's finished fourth with 162 total points, while UMass rounded out the top five with 135 total points in the coaches' poll.
 
Mason finished with an overall record of 14-6, including a mark of 8-2 in Atlantic 10 play to earn fourth seed in the 2018 Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship. The Patriots went on to reach the A-10 semifinals.
 
Freshman Emma van der Vorst (@EvdV_070) went on to win A-10 Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year after the forward led the Atlantic 10 in goals (14) and points (32). She ranked fourth in the conference in shots on goal (33) and shots (62).

Mason returns 18 players to the roster from the 2018 season.
 
The Patriots open their regular season with back-to-back road games, starting with a matchup against East Carolina on Aug. 22 in Greenville, N.C.
 
2019 Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Saint Louis          192 (13)
2. VCU                    176
3. George Mason    163 (1)
4. Saint Joseph's     161
5. UMass                 135
6. Dayton                 116
7. Fordham              104
8. La Salle                98
9. George Washington  97
10. Duquesne             83
11. Richmond             51
12. Davidson              40
13. St. Bonaventure   28
14. Rhode Island       26