By Wes Mayberry
The Ohio Northern women's soccer team was picked to finish second in the Ohio Athletic Conference in 2023 in a poll conducted by the league's 10 head coaches.
The Polar Bears received 71 points and two first-place votes in the poll. Capital was selected as the favorite with 78 points and seven first-place votes.
Otterbein was picked to finish third with 66 points and the remaining first-place vote. John Carroll was picked fourth with 53 points, and Baldwin Wallace was picked fifth with 49 points.
The poll also highlighted two players to watch from each school.
ONU was represented by junior Alyssa Beckett (Monroe) and senior Jill Roberts (Bellbrook/Carroll).
Beckett was named OAC Midfielder of the Year, All-Region VII First Team and All-Ohio First Team in 2022 when she started 17 games and finished with a team-high eight goals to go with two assists for 18 points. The point total ranked tied for ninth in the OAC, and she was tied for eighth in the conference in goals. The two-time First Team All-OAC honoree has 28 career points on 12 goals and four assists in 40 games, including 39 starts.
Roberts joined Beckett on the All-OAC First Team last season and is a three-time All-OAC honoree. She was an All-Region VII Second Team and All-Ohio First Team selection in 2022 after posting 15 points on six goals and three assists. She has 31 points on 12 goals and seven assists in 54 career starts.
ONU finished the 2022 season at 14-2-5 overall and posted a 7-0-2 mark in the OAC to share the conference regular season title with Capital. The Polar Bears won the OAC Tournament championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament for a second straight year.
Northern begins its season Sept. 1 with a home game against Wittenberg at 5 p.m. under first-year head coach Ben Tierney.
Coaches Poll
RankSchool (First Place Votes)Points
1.Capital (7)78
2.Ohio Northern (2)71
3.Otterbein (1)66
4.John Carroll53
5.Baldwin Wallace49
6. Wilmington39
7.Mount Union38
8.Heidelberg26
9.Marietta18
10.Muskingum12
