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FARMINGTON, UTAH — After finishing third in the Big Sky last season, Eastern Washington women’s soccer has been picked to finish second in the 2025 Big Sky preseason coaches’ poll, as announced by the conference on Monday.
Head coach Missy Strasburg enters her fifth season at the helm of the Eagles. The team earned 52 points and two first-place votes to secure the No. 2 spot in the poll—just eight points behind Montana, who received six first-place votes and 60 points. Strasburg was named Big Sky Coach of the Year last season after leading the Eagles from an eighth-place preseason ranking to a third-place conference finish.
Eastern wrapped up last season with a 9-5-5 overall record and a 4-1-3 mark in conference play. The team returns 17 players, including eight starters, and welcomes 12 newcomers.
Senior Chloe Pattison returns for her final season after earning Big Sky Co-Offensive MVP honors last year. She was also named the conference’s preseason MVP and is the only Eagle selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Last season, Pattison led both the team and the conference with 11 goals—four more than the next closest scorer.
Other key returners include goalkeeper Kamryn Willoughby, forwards Charity Freeman and Kendall Moore, defenders Riley Arribas, Iris Mattern, and Ryanne Ampi, as well as midfielders Genesis and Beccado.
The Eagles open their regular season on Thursday, Aug. 14, against Seattle University in Seattle, Wash. Their home opener is set for Sunday, Aug. 17, at 12 p.m. against Southern Utah.
2025 Big Sky Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Preseason All-Conference Team
FWD: Chloe Pattison, EWU (Preseason MVP)
FWD: Micala Boex, NAU
FWD: Aliayha Saldana, PSU
MID: Annika Farley, UI
MID: Chloe Seelhoff, UM
MID: Maddie Ditta, UM
MID: Ellie Farber, SAC
DEF: Izzy Thoma, UI
DEF: Ally Henrikson, UM
DEF: Liv Frazier, PSU
DEF: Sydney Sharts, SAC
GK: Bayliss Flynn, UM
Preseason MVP
Chloe Pattison, EWU
Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Montana (6) – 60
2. Eastern Washington (2) – 52
3. Idaho – 49
T4. Northern Arizona – 39
T4. Sacramento State (1) – 39
6. Weber State – 27
7. Northern Colorado – 26
8. Portland State – 22
9. Idaho State – 10
() – Indicates Number of First-Place Votes
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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