Kansas picked 5th in preseason poll

On the heels of a Big 12 tournament championship to close out the 2024 season, the Kansas women’s soccer team enters the 2025 season ranked fifth in the Big 12 preseason poll.

It marks the highest the Jayhawks have been ranked in the preseason poll since coming in at No. 4 in 2015.

KU, which last season earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019 during head coach Nate Lie’s first year in charge of the program, also landed three players on the preseason all-Big 12 squad.

Forwards Lexi Watts and Saige Wimes and defender Caroline Castans all landed on the 27-player squad voted on by the conference’s coaches.

All three were key parts of last year’s team, which won 13 games, including 8 in a row late in the season, to earn that Big 12 tourney title and NCAA tourney bid.

And all three will play even bigger roles, with higher expectations, as the Jayhawks step onto the field for their encore performance.

Castans, a 2024 All-Big 12 First Team honoree, enters her junior season after leading the team in minutes played by a field player in 2024 with 1,889 minutes. She started all 23 matches last season and recorded six assists, the second most on the team. She was selected to the Big 12 All-Tournament Team and the United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region First Team.

Watts, a 2024 All-Big 12 First Team honoree, comes into her senior season after leading the team last season in goals (9), five of which were game-winning goals, and points (21). She was also selected to the Big 12 All-Tournament Team and received the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Big 12 Tournament.

Wimes is entering her redshirt junior season after an impressive sophomore campaign. She started all 23 matches and logged 1,380 minutes. She tied for the team lead in assists with sev-en and was third on the team in points with 17.

KU will open the 2025 season on Aug. 14 at home against Missouri State. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Rock Chalk Park.

— For tickets to all KU athletic events, visit kuathletics.com

2025 preseason all-Big 12 team

GK Jordan Nytes, Colorado, Sr.
GK Faith Nguyen, Texas Tech, Sr.
D Avery Frischknecht, BYU, Jr.
D Izzi Stratton, BYU, Jr.
D Faith Leyba, Colorado, Jr.
D Caroline Castans, Kansas, Jr.
D Jazmin Brown, Oklahoma State, Sr.
D Cameron Patton, TCU, So.
D Macy Blackburn, Texas Tech, Gr.
MF Lucy Kessler, BYU, So.
MF Mika Krommenhoek, BYU, So.
MF Ava Priest, Colorado, Jr.
MF Mackenzee Vance, BYU, Sr.
MF Xcaret Pineda, Oklahoma State, Sr.
MF Laudan Wilson, Oklahoma State, Jr.
MF Morgan Brown, TCU, So.
MF Sam Courtwright, Texas Tech, R-So.
MF Peyton Parsons, Texas Tech, Sr.
F Kierra Blundell, Arizona State, So.
F Tyler Isgrig, Baylor, Sr.
F Hope Leyba, Colorado, Jr.
F Lexi Watts, Kansas, Sr.
F Saige Wimes, Kansas, R-Jr.
F Seven Castain, TCU, Sr.
F Bella Diorio, TCU, Jr.
F Taylor Zdrojewski, Texas Tech, Jr.
F Ajanae Respass, West Virginia, Sr.