GRINNELL, Iowa — The Midwest Conference announced the results of its preseason poll for women's soccer with Knox predicted to finish eighth (16 points). Lake Forest (61 points, five first-place votes) and Lawrence (60, four first-place votes) are expected to battle it out for the crown again after sharing the regular-season title last fall.

Claiming third in the poll was Grinnell with 50 points, trailed by Illinois College (36) in fourth, Ripon College (30) in fifth, and Beloit and Monmouth College (28) tied for sixth. Rounding out the poll was Cornell College in ninth with 15 points.

Under third-year head coach Annie Gerdes, the Prairie Fire are looking to turn the corner and sneak up on a few teams in league play this year. Gerdes will look to her captains — seniors Avery Leigh and Isabella Shubert, and junior Emily Jacobs — to help the young squad that features nine first-years and six sophomores among its 23 student-athletes, find its legs early in the season.

The top returning scorers from a year ago are a pair of sophomores in Natalia Nuño (one goal, three assists) and Asia Ling (two goals), while Shubert is the only other player on the roster to put one in the back of the net in 2024. Every player on the roster will get a look on the field, including the nine rookies, as the team looks to increase its scoring output this fall.

In goal, the Prairie Fire have sophomore Darby Wallig, who started 13 of the 17 contests and had the highest save percentage (.826) in the Midwest Conference as a rookie. Her classmate, Bri Mahoney, is also capable keeper who started three games last year, making 29 saves in 315 minutes.

Knox opens the season on the road at Millikin University on Friday, August 29 at 7 p.m., and the first chance for the home fans to watch the squad up close will be Sept. 6 when the Prairie Fire host Aurora University at Jorge Prats Field at 1:30 p.m.