CU Buffs ranked fourth in Big 12 preseason poll – Boulder Daily Camera

Jordan Nytes left the Big 12 Conference as one of the league’s best goalkeepers. She’ll return to the league in the same capacity.

On Thursday, the Big 12 announced its women’s soccer preseason poll as well as its preseason all-conference team. Nytes, who will begin her second season as CU’s starter after transferring from Oklahoma State, earned a spot on the 24-player all-conference preseason team, as did teammates Shyra James and Faith Leyba.

The Buffs finished fourth in the league’s preseason coaches poll, earning 174 points. BYU (206 points) edged out Texas Tech (205) for the top spot, while TCU rounded out the top three (197). CU earned the top spot among the league’s four newcomers from the Pac-12, with Arizona State finishing fifth (157 points) and Utah and Arizona finishing in a tie for 10th (94).

Coaches across the league were not allowed to vote for their own team or their own players in the poll.

Nytes was named Big 12 co-Goalkeeper of the Year as a freshman in 2022 before transferring. Nytes recorded eight shutouts last year and enters the season with 14 for her career. James, a fifth-year senior, enters the season on the verge of breaking the program’s career scoring records, and her 2023 totals of 15 goals and 32 points rank second among CU’s all-time single-season leaders. Leyba was selected to the Pac-12’s all-conference third team last year and also earned a spot on the league’s all-freshman team after leading the Buffs in minutes played (1,772).

“Jordi, Faith and Shyra all had fantastic seasons in 2023 and we are pleased that the coaches recognized them,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said in a statement. “I know they are excited for the new challenges in the Big 12.”

CU opens the season at home on Aug. 15 against Marquette and plays its first Big 12 game on Sept. 12 at Kansas State.

Originally published: August 8, 2024 at 3:24 PM

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