ST LOUIS — Two Panthers earn MVC preseason honors the week of UNI soccer’s home opener.
The Missouri Valley Conference released its preseason poll on Tuesday morning, predicting Valparaiso will lead the conference while the UNI Soccer was picked to finish seventh. Along with the preseason poll, the preseason team was released, including two Panthers. Junior forwards Ashley Harrington and Lauren Heinsch both made the list of seventeen players selected by the conference office.
Harrington led UNI in points (16) and assists (6) during the 2021 fall season. Harrington finished the 2021 fall season with 5 goals and 6 assists with 36 shots and 23 shots on goal. In 2021, Harrington was also named to the All-Conference Second Team and a recipient of the MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award.
Heinsch played all 18 games for the Panthers in 2021 while leading the team in goals (6) and shots on goal (29). During the 2021 season Heinsch led the team with 6 goals and 2 assists including 54 shots and 29 shots on goal. She was also named to the All-Conference Second Team while being an MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award recipient.
UNI soccer kicks off the 2022 season later this week with a home matchup against NAIA Grand View on Thursday, Aug. 18. Thursday’s home game will be the first of eight in a row for the Panthers as they spend the entire non-conference portion of the season at UNI Soccer Park. This is the second full season where UNI Soccer has a home field on campus on 22nd Street. All games at UNI Soccer Park will be broadcast through ESPN+.
POLL RESULTS
1.) Valparaíso
2.) Indiana State
3.) Murray State
4.) Drake
5.) Evansville
6.) Belmont
7.) UNI
8.) Missouri State
9.) Illinois State
10.) UIC
11.) Southern Illinois