New Mexico State women's soccer team picked second in CUSA preseason poll

LAS CRUCES – After proving themselves with a run to the NCAA tournament last season, the New Mexico State women's soccer team was picked second in the Conference USA preseason poll this week. In total, NM State also garnered five individual honors in addition to being selected to finish second in the preseason team poll. Notably, the Aggies top attacker from one season ago, Loma McNeese, was named Preseason All-CUSA Offensive Player of the Year.

Mya Hammack and Bianca Chacon were also honored for their talent by being named to the preseason team.Additionally, the conference also announced that it has posthumously named Thalia Chaverria to the preseason all-league team. Chaverria was a force on the back line in 2022 for an Aggie team who earned more wins than any team in program history.In the CUSA Preseason Poll, the Aggies were picked second in the conference, tallying three out of a possible nine first-place votes. Fellow first-year conference member Liberty was chosen to top CUSA after earning a 14-3-4 record in 2022 and finishing last season 48th in the country in the RPI rankings.Senior midfielder Loma McNeese was voted the CUSA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. In 2022, she started all 21 games, led NM State in goals (10) while notching five assists, totaling 25 points en route to an All-WAC First Team selection.

With this distinction, she becomes the first Aggie to be selected for any Preseason Player of the Year Award in the history of the NM State program. Being chosen as the top offensive player in the conference made the Sherwood, Ore. native one of four forwards named to the Preseason All-CUSA Team.Joining McNeese on the all-conference list is junior midfielder Bianca Chacon who returns to Las Cruces following a season in which she was a fixture in the starting lineup for all 21 games during the 2022 campaign. On the season, Chacon tallied nine assists to rank second in the WAC while also scoring five goals of her own — good for second most on the Aggies' squad.The league's head coaches also believe junior defender Mya Hammack is poised for another big year after serving as a leader on the Aggie defense during their historic season. Like Chacon and McNeese, Hammack was one of just six Aggies to land in the starting lineup for every match last season. In addition to her defensive presence, Hammack also scored one goal and finished the year with three assists.2023 CUSA Preseason Poll

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: New Mexico State women's soccer team picked second in CUSA preseason poll