University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Jacob McCready
Peters, Brann, Byrd Earn Preseason All C-USA
1/26/2021 1:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer
DALLAS — The North Texas women's soccer team had three named Conference USA Preseason All-Conference — more than any other school in the league — per the conference Tuesday afternoon.
Forwards Berklee Peters and Allie Byrd along with goalkeeper Kelsey Brann earned the preseason recognition.
In addition to the three preseason all-conference nods this year, the back-to-back-to-back reigning C-USA Tournament champs were picked by the 14 league head coaches to finish first in the C-USA West Division. Due to the shortened season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the league has moved to division for this upcoming season.
Despite the Mean Green having won either the league regular season and/or tournament championship in six consecutive seasons, this season's three preseason all-conference honors are the most they've had in a single year since 2015. That season they also had three named preseason all-C-USA (Jackie Kerestine, Karla Pineda and Rachel Holden) and UNT went on to post a program-record 19-4-1 overall record. They shutout a program-record 16 opponents and won the 2015 C-USA Regular Season and Tournament title and reached the NCAA Tournament.
For Peters, Byrd and Brann this is their first all-conference preseason award. However, all three were named all-conference after last season including Brann being named the league's Goalkeeper of the Year.
Peters is the team's active leading goal-scorer with 25 career goals. She led the team last year with 14, which was the third-most in the league. Byrd, who was just a freshman a year ago, was the team's second top goal-scorer with nine. She was named third-team all-conference and to the all-freshman team. She was the Conference USA Tournament Offensive MVP after scoring three goals in the three-match tournament. On Oct. 24, 2019 at FIU she scored four goals against the Panthers.
UNT travels to Incarnate Word on Friday for its lone exhibition match. They open the season at SMU on Feb 7.
Spring 2021 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Team
Kelsey Brann, North Texas, RS-Jr., GK
Allie Byrd, North Texas, So., F
Berklee Peters, North Texas, Sr., F
Julia Patrum, Charlotte, So., MF/F
Luisa Daikeler, Florida Atlantic, So., D
Cassidy Wasdin, Florida Atlantic, RS-So., GK
Autumn Woodard, Louisiana Tech, Jr., F
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee, Sr., F
Mijke Roelfsema, Rice, Sr., D
Delaney Schultz, Rice, Jr., MF
Caitlin Pierce, Southern Miss, Sr., D
Ambere Barnett, WKU, Jr., MF
Ellis Patterson, UTSA, Sr., F
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee, Sr., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Luisa Daikeler, Florida Atlantic, So., D
Spring 2021 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
West Division
1. North Texas
2. Rice
3. UTSA
4. Louisiana Tech
5. UTEP
6. UAB
7. Southern Miss
East Division
1. Florida Atlantic
2. Charlotte
3. WKU
4. Middle Tennessee
5. Marshall
6. FIU
7. Old Dominion
Forwards Berklee Peters and Allie Byrd along with goalkeeper Kelsey Brann earned the preseason recognition.
In addition to the three preseason all-conference nods this year, the back-to-back-to-back reigning C-USA Tournament champs were picked by the 14 league head coaches to finish first in the C-USA West Division. Due to the shortened season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the league has moved to division for this upcoming season.
Despite the Mean Green having won either the league regular season and/or tournament championship in six consecutive seasons, this season's three preseason all-conference honors are the most they've had in a single year since 2015. That season they also had three named preseason all-C-USA (Jackie Kerestine, Karla Pineda and Rachel Holden) and UNT went on to post a program-record 19-4-1 overall record. They shutout a program-record 16 opponents and won the 2015 C-USA Regular Season and Tournament title and reached the NCAA Tournament.
For Peters, Byrd and Brann this is their first all-conference preseason award. However, all three were named all-conference after last season including Brann being named the league's Goalkeeper of the Year.
Peters is the team's active leading goal-scorer with 25 career goals. She led the team last year with 14, which was the third-most in the league. Byrd, who was just a freshman a year ago, was the team's second top goal-scorer with nine. She was named third-team all-conference and to the all-freshman team. She was the Conference USA Tournament Offensive MVP after scoring three goals in the three-match tournament. On Oct. 24, 2019 at FIU she scored four goals against the Panthers.
UNT travels to Incarnate Word on Friday for its lone exhibition match. They open the season at SMU on Feb 7.
Spring 2021 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Team
Kelsey Brann, North Texas, RS-Jr., GK
Allie Byrd, North Texas, So., F
Berklee Peters, North Texas, Sr., F
Julia Patrum, Charlotte, So., MF/F
Luisa Daikeler, Florida Atlantic, So., D
Cassidy Wasdin, Florida Atlantic, RS-So., GK
Autumn Woodard, Louisiana Tech, Jr., F
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee, Sr., F
Mijke Roelfsema, Rice, Sr., D
Delaney Schultz, Rice, Jr., MF
Caitlin Pierce, Southern Miss, Sr., D
Ambere Barnett, WKU, Jr., MF
Ellis Patterson, UTSA, Sr., F
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee, Sr., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Luisa Daikeler, Florida Atlantic, So., D
Spring 2021 C-USA Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
West Division
1. North Texas
2. Rice
3. UTSA
4. Louisiana Tech
5. UTEP
6. UAB
7. Southern Miss
East Division
1. Florida Atlantic
2. Charlotte
3. WKU
4. Middle Tennessee
5. Marshall
6. FIU
7. Old Dominion
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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Forward
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Forward
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