IRVING, Texas – Officials from the American Athletic Conference league office on Tuesday announced the results of the women’s soccer preseason coaches poll and the members of the 2024 women’s soccer candidate list. As a team, the Roadrunners were ranked No. 8 in their second year in the league. Meanwhile, senior Sasjah Dade is again on the AAC candidate list, along with freshmen Olivia Alvarez and Sabrina Hillyer.

Dade (senior/defenseman/Ontario, Calif.) was named to the AAC Watch List last year during the team’s inaugural AAC season and has started 39 of 40 games over the past two seasons as a key defender for the Roadrunners. She is the team’s third-leading player with two goals, and both times Dade found the back of the net, they were game-winning goals – against Central Arkansas in the opening game and against Rice in the final. Dade recorded one assist and a .421 goals-against percentage on eight goals. In 2022, Dade was named to the All-Conference USA third team. After helping UTSA’s defense to a school-record .072 goals-against average and seven shutouts, Dade was named to the Samoan women’s national team for the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands.

Alvarez (senior/midfielder/Arlington, Texas) was named to the watch list for the first time. She started all 18 games last season and was an integral part of UTSA’s transition to attack. Alvarez had a goal and an assist last year and posted a .476 SOG% with 10 shots on goal – including the game-winning penalty shot against Texas A&M-Commerce. Alvarez also posted a .438 SOG% with a goal in 2022.

Hillyer (defender/sophomore/Katy, Texas), also a first-time watchlist pick, entered the lineup immediately upon her arrival in 2021 and has since started 59 consecutive games as part of the defensive core. Hillyer is also a threat when it comes to moving the ball forward in transition, scoring two goals on eight shots on goal and a .400 SoG% last year — and also contributing two assists. Although she didn’t score a goal in 2022, Hillyer did add four assists and help UTSA to the Conference USA Tournament title and first NCAA appearance since 2010.

As UTSA enters its second year in the football-powerful American Athletic Conference, the Roadrunners were picked eighth out of 11 teams in the preseason coaches poll. The Roadrunners were one of the conference’s best defensive teams last season and posted a 7-7-4 record this year. UTSA trails three-time defending champion Memphis (9 first-place votes), South Florida (1 first-place vote), East Carolina, Charlotte (1 first-place vote), Florida Atlantic, North Texas and Tulsa. The Roadrunners were picked ahead of UAB, Rice and Temple.

The 2024 American Women’s Soccer Championship will be held November 4-10 at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.

AAC Women’s Soccer Watchlist 2024
Abbey Burns, Jr., M, UAB
Kendall Page, Sr., M, UAB
Anika Toth, Gr., GK, UAB
Macey Bader, Sr., F, Charlotte
Payton Patrick, Sr., F, Charlotte
Emma Wakeman, Gr., GK, Charlotte
Annabelle Abbott, Gr., D/F, East Carolina
Maeve English, Gr., GK, East Carolina
Samantha Moxie, Sr., F, East Carolina
Lexi Gonzalez, Gr., GK, Florida Atlantic
Jodi Smith, Sr., D, Florida Atlantic
Sofia Voldby, Sr., M, Florida Atlantic
Anna Hauer, So., F/M, Memphis
Momo Nakao, Sr., M, Memphis
Anne-Valerie Seto, Sr., M, Memphis
Summer Brown, Jr., F, North Texas
Maddie Ogden, Gr., GK, North Texas
Rachel Roebuck, Gr., D, North Texas
Leah Chancey, size, M, rice
Faith Hutchins, Gr., GK, Rice
Carsyn Martz, Jr., D, Rice
Georgia Brown, Sr., D, South Florida
Sadie Sider-Echenberg, Jr., M, South Florida
Serita Thurton, Sr., F/M, South Florida
Phoebe Hollin, Sr., D, Temple
Carly Steinberg, size M, temple
Yao Zhou, Gr., M, Temple
Olivia Alvarez, Sr., M/F, UTSA
Sasjah Dade, Sr., D, UTSA
Sabrina Hillyer, Gr., D, UTSA
Hannah Chance, R-Jr., F, Tulsa
Jordan Frederick, Jr., F, Tulsa
Kaylyn Simmons, So., F, Tulsa

The Roadrunners officially open the 2024 season this Thursday, August 15, welcoming Navy to Park West for the first meeting of the series. UTSA will close out the week with a neutral site game against UIW at Toyota Field on Sunday, August 18. Tickets are $12 and are available. Here.

– UTSA –