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ASU Soccer: Sun Devils picked to finish 11th in Pac-12 Preseason Poll

By Sam Ficarro

TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs on the field during the first half of the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs on the field during the first half of the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /
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After finishing bottom of the Pac-12 last season, ASU soccer picked to finish 11th in 2017 Pac-12 Preseason Poll as season gets underway in Aug.18.

On Tuesday, the Pac-12 released their Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll in which ASU soccer was picked to finish 11th.

This should not come as a surprise after the Sun Devils finished as the worst team in the Pac-12 with only four points finishing with a conference record of 1-9-1.

The three teams atop the poll should not come as a surprise either with Stanford as the preseason favorite to win the Pac-12.

Despite losing star goalkeeper Jane Campbell to the NWSL Draft, the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year Andi Sullivan is back for her senior year in Palo Alto.

Sullivan, who has four caps with the U.S. Women’s National Team, finished tied atop the Pac-12 last season in points with 11 goals and seven assists last season.

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The senior forward is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the second round of the NCAA Tournament versus Santa Clara dooming Stanford’s chances of playing for the national championship.

The Cardinal, who return six All-Pac-12 players this season, will be extremely motivated to win it all.

Sitting behind the Cardinal in the preseason poll are the Los Angeles schools , UCLA and USC.

The Bruins received the second most points in the poll with 110, nine behind Stanford, as they look to challenge for a national championship as well.

UCLA, who return nine starters from last season, is led by Canadian international and Olympic bronze medalist Jessie Flemming.

Flemming finished last season with a team-leading 11 goals and six assists last season.

UCLA were expecting U.S. international Mallory Pugh to join the team this season for her freshman year, but she opted to go professional over the summer.

Despite Pugh not playing for UCLA, the Bruins still bring one of the best freshmen classes in the nation to L.A. and will have the depth to compete against the best teams.

Picked to finish third, the reigning national champions USC should not be overlooked.

The Trojans return their leading scorer and All-Pac-12 second team player, Alex Anthony, after she finished last season with 10 goals and five assists.

Here’s is how the rest of the Pac-12 Preseason Poll shaped out.

Also announced was the MAC Hermann Trophy watch list, which is the award given to the best collegiate soccer player in the nation.

Among the 10 Pac-12 players named to the list was Arizona State’s Jemma Purfield.

Purfield is about to play her first season in Tempe after transferring from South Alabama and reuniting with Winkworth.

The junior defender is coming to ASU as the reigning Sun Belt Defensive and Player of the Year after leading South Alabama with 11 goals last season.

She is ought to play a big role if Arizona State were to exceed expectations this season as they look to tighten in what was a leaky defense last season.

Next: ASU Soccer: Three players transfer from the program

Arizona State will play an exhibition match Saturday versus Cal-State Northridge before kicking off the season Aug. 18 versus Ohio State.