LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Warner Pacific women's soccer team was picked to finish 8th in the 2015 Cascade Collegiate Conference standings, according to a preseason coaches poll released yesterday by the conference office.

With the conference expanding to 12 teams the Knights received 62 points in the poll, ahead of newcomer Great Falls (54 points) and just behind Eastern Oregon (66 points). WPC welcomes eight new players to the program, along with two athletes that redshirted last season.

Defending champions Northwest University are the coaches' preseason favorite to win the 2015 CCC title.

3rd year coach Holly Popenuk was mildly surprised at the result of the poll, feeling that her squad is perhaps a little undersold. "We certainly expect to finish better than 8th, but just like very team we'll need to prove ourselves on the field," said Popenuk. "All we can do is improve every day and look to build on the momentum from last season."

The momentum Popenuk is referring to is a program best eight wins and a first ever playoff victory in 2014. "I think we turned a corner as a program last season, and our goal is to continue that moving forward," said Popenuk. "I like this group of ladies. They are working hard to be even better this season."

Full Release from the Cascade Conference

2015 CCC Coaches' Poll

	Team	Points	2014 CCC	2014 Overall
1	Northwest (10)	140	8-0-1	11-6-2
2	Corban	123	5-3-1	10-7-3
3	Carroll (2)	117	N/A	13-3-4
4	Southern Oregon	98	4-4-1	5-10-2
5	Rocky Mountain	88	N/A	8-8-2
6	College of Idaho	87	4-2-3	7-6-4
7	Eastern Oregon	66	1-5-3	3-8-4
8	Warner Pacific	62	4-4-1	8-10-2
9	Great Falls	54	N/A	9-8-2
10	Evergreen	46	3-5-1	5-10-1
11	Northwest Christian	29	2-7-0	7-11-0
12	Oregon Tech	26	0-7-2	5-10-2

First place votes in parentheses