Heinsch, Harrington named Preseason All-MVC

ST. LOUIS --- UNI soccer's Lauren Heinsch and Ashley Harrington have been named to the Missouri Valley Conference's (MVC) Preseason All-Conference Teams, as announced by the league office on Tuesday morning.

Heinsch, a senior forward, was named to the 11-person preseason first team, while Harrington earned honorable mention recognition.

The Panthers were also picked to finish sixth in the league standings in the annual coach's preseason poll. Reigning MVC Tournament champion Missouri State was selected first with ten first-place votes, with the defending regular season champion Valparaiso picked second. UNI finished in sixth place in 2022, qualifying for the MVC Tournament and reaching the semifinal round.

Heinsch, a Mahtomedi, Minnesota native, started all 20 games for the Panthers last fall, leading the purple and gold with five goals and two assists on the season. She became just the sixth player in program history to earn First Team All-MVC honors, while also being named the conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year and being named the United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-Midwest Region. Heinsch, who also earned Second Team All-MVC honors in 2021, ranks sixth all-time in UNI history in both career goals scored (13) and points (30). She also has notched four game-winning goals in her Panther career, as well as 135 career shot attempts, both ranking fifth all-time in school history.

Harrington, a native of Ankeny, Iowa, started 18 games in 2022 for UNI scoring one goal against Illinois State, along with four assists, 35 shot attempts and 15 shots on goal. Earning her first career preseason conference honor, Harrington is only two assists away from becoming UNI's all-time leader in assists. She also ranks tenth in program history with 25 career points and also has recorded three game-winning goals in her career.

The Panthers will kickoff the 2023 season on Thursday, Aug. 17 at St. Thomas (Minn.) with a 4 p.m. CT kickoff in St. Paul. UNI will host Viterbo in its first regular season home game on Saturday, Aug. 19 at 1 p.m. CT at the UNI Soccer Field.

PRESEASON FIRST TEAM ALL-MVC

GK Nikki Coryell (Valparaiso)
D Yulexi Diaz (UIC)
D Nicole Norfolk (Valparaiso)
D Carly Raunig (Missouri State)
M Grace O'Keefe (Missouri State)
F Hailey Chambliss (Missouri State)
F Lindsey DuSatko (Valparaiso)
F Sophia Jaime (UIC)
F Lauren Heinsch UNI)
F Emma Nagel (Drake)
F Saraya Young (Murray State)

MVC PRESEASON HONORABLE MENTION

D Jenna Anderson (Missouri State)
D Morgan Bodker (Murray State)
D Laura Reisenbeck (Drake)
D Adelaide Wolfe (Indiana State)
M Abby Couch (Missouri State)
M Mary Hardy (Murray State)
M Kelsi McLaughlin (Illinois State)
M Maci Pekmezian (Belmont)
M Madelyn Smith (Drake)
F Ashley Harrington (UNI)
F Hailey Autenrieb (Evansville)
F Angela Guitierrez (Drake)
F Addy Joiner (Valparaiso)
F Julia Kristensen (Missouri State)
F Emma Spotak (Southern Illinois

MVC WOMEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL (Total Points) [First-Place Votes]

Missouri State (120) [10]
Valparaiso (107) [1]
UIC (92)
Drake (84)
Murray State (81)
UNI (65)
Belmont (41)
Southern Illinois (39)
Illinois State (37)
Indiana State (31)
Evansville (29)

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