TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 16, 2022 – The University of South Florida women's soccer team earned 52 points and a first-place vote in the annual preseason American Athletic Conference coaches poll, while sophomore Vivianne Bessette was chosen as a unanimous preseason all-conference team member.
 
The Bulls are coming off a 12-4-3 season which saw them win their sixth conference titles in the last five seasons, making an NCAA tournament appearance in each of the campaigns.
 
Bessette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) earns a unanimous selection from the league's coaches to the preseason all-conference team. The honor marks her second consecutive preseason all-conference selection. Last season, the defender finished with a goal and an assist in 18 starts, tallying 15 shots. In her career, she's played in 31 games with four goals and three assists.
 
Bessette was also named one of 35 defensive players to watch by the United Soccer Coaches' All-America committee.
 
South Florida's 2022 roster features 15 newcomers (12 freshman, three transfers) and 20 returners. Among those remaining with the Bulls for the 2022 campaign is fifth-year goalkeeper Sydney Martinez (Rincon, Ga.), who was named an All-American in 2020 and posted eight shutouts last season.
 
The Bulls open the 2022 season on Sunday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. as Florida Gulf Coast University visits Corbett Stadium. The match kicks off a three-game homestand to start the season, with five of USF's first six games being played in Tampa.
 
Tickets are on sale now at www.usfbullstix.com or by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls. All of USF's home matches will also be streamed on ESPN+.
 
2022 American Preseason Coaches Poll
Memphis (6)               62
South Florida (1)        52
Central Florida (1)      48
SMU                           48
Cincinnati                   33
Houston (1)                 33
Temple                        20
East Carolina              19
Tulsa                           10
 
About USF Women's Soccer
Be sure to follow USF women's soccer on social media (Twitter / Instagram/Facebook) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. 
 
The USF women's soccer team has posted ten consecutive seasons of 10-plus wins under head coach Denise Schilte-Brown. The Bulls made their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2010 and returned in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. South Florida has five consecutive seasons with a conference championship, earning the tournament title in 2017, 2019 and 2020 as well as the regular-season title in 2018, 2020 and 2021. The program had its first draft pick and second-highest pick in USF Athletics history with Evelyne Viens being taken with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft by Sky Blue FC, now Gotham FC.

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