MORGANTOWN — A conference-best four members of the No. 9-ranked West Virginia women’s soccer team were named to the preseason all-Big 12 soccer team Wednesday.
Senior defenders Bianca St. Georges and Easther Mayi Kith, senior forward Sh’nia Gordon and junior goalkeeper Rylee Foster represented the Mountaineers on the preseason all-conference team. St. Georges was named an all-Big 12 first team honoree in 2017, while Foster and Mayi Kith earned All-Big 12 Second Team distinction last season.
Four other schools are represented on the team, with Baylor, TCU and Texas receiving two selections each, while Oklahoma State had one selection.
The Big 12 Conference coaches selected the honorees and were not permitted to vote for their own players.
St. Georges, a native of St. Felix de Valois, Quebec, served as a captain for the Mountaineers last fall. She started all 23 matches, finishing seventh on the team with 10 points (2 G, 6 A).
A CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team selection in 2017, St. Georges has recorded 13 career assists, tied for the most among Mountaineer returners.
Mayi Kith, who was named Team Defensive MVP last season, started all 23 matches at center back in 2017, finishing second on the team with 2,125 minutes played. Along with St. Georges and others, the Quebec City, Quebec, native helped WVU record a conference-best 13 shutouts a year ago.
A native of Ocklawaha, Florida, Gordon started all 23 matches for the Mountaineers last season, finishing second on the team and No. 10 in the Big 12 with 15 points. Her seven assists were a single-season best and paced WVU in the category.
Gordon is the Mountaineers’ top returner in career goals (16) and tied for the most career assists (13).
Foster is set to begin her third consecutive season as the Mountaineers’ starting goalkeeper. Last season, the Cambridge, Ontario, logged the fifth-most minutes nationally (2,122:15) and earned credit for 12 of WVU’s 13 clean sheets, the most in the Big 12 and No. 8 in the country.
Foster made a single-season high 45 saves in 2017, earning United Soccer Coaches All-Region First Team honors. She finished with a 0.64 goals-against average, tops in the Big 12.
The Big 12 conference soccer preseason poll will be announced today.
