IRVING, Texas (August 12, 2025) – The American Conference announced its annual Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll and the Women's Soccer Watch List on Tuesday. The University of South Florida women's soccer team was voted to finish second by the coaches in the conference.
Gentiana Fetaj,
Leire Herraez Gallach, and
Sadie Sider-Echenberg landed on the watch list.
The Bulls earned four first-place votes and were picked to finish second by the rest of the coaches in the conference. USF returns the American Goalkeeper of the Year and the American Midfielder of the Year. South Florida returns six players who earned spots on all-conference teams from last season.
Herraez Gallach is the defending American Conference Goalkeeper of the Year. She was an all-conference first-team selection and was the American Goalkeeper of the Week twice during the 2024 season. She finished the season with a goals against average of .391, which was the fourth best in the NCAA. She was fourth in the nation with a save percentage of 87.7 percent. She tallied 11 shutouts, which was tied for seventh in the country.
Sider-Echenberg is the reigning American Conference Midfielder of the Year. She was an all-conference first-team honoree. She led the team with four match-winning goals, which was tied for 37th in the NCAA. She was tied for second on the team with 12 points. Her five goals were tied for second on the squad.
Fetaj was a United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-Region Second Team and an American All-Conference Second Team selection. She earned a spot on the 2025 USC Players to Watch – Midfielders. She finished the season tied for the team lead with six assists. Two of her three goals were match winners. She was tied for second on the team with 12 points.
2025 American Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
| 1 |
Memphis (6) |
96 |
| 2 |
South Florida (4) |
94 |
| 3 |
Rice |
76 |
| 4 |
East Carolina (1) |
64 |
| 5 |
North Texas |
63 |
| 6 |
Tulsa |
48 |
| 7 |
UAB |
47 |
| 8 |
UTSA |
38 |
| 9 |
Florida Atlantic |
36 |
| 10 |
Charlotte |
33 |
| 11 |
Temple |
10 |
About South Florida 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.
Chris Brown enters his second season as USF head coach after a record-setting debut in 2024, leading the Bulls to 12 wins and coaching both the American Athletic Conference Midfielder and Goalkeeper of the Year. Brown spent 17 years as associate head coach (2007–2023), helping USF to three American Athletic Conference titles, eight NCAA appearances, and a 10-year streak of 10+ win seasons. He coached USF's first All-American, Evelyne Viens, now a Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist, and has developed multiple American Athletic Conference award winners. Players under his guidance hold most of the program's records.
– #GoBulls –
