Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina senior defender Mary Mueth garnered her second consecutive preseason All-Southern Conference honor today as Western Carolina was represented on the league's honorary individual squad for the fourth consecutive season as the conference unveiled its preseason accolades and official preseason order of finish.

On the heels of three consecutive regular-season podium finishes – and four in the past five years – the Catamounts were selected fourth in the SoCon preseason coaches' poll, just edging out Chattanooga (67) and Mercer (66) with 68 points.

A rising senior entering her third year anchoring the backline in Cullowhee, Mueth is expected to reprise her role as part of WCU's returning strength from 2026. The Fairview, Texas native is the only Catamount on the roster to record 1,800+ minutes in back-to-back seasons, with defenses featuring Mueth conceding only 9.9 shots per game.

Originally a transfer from Louisiana Lafayette ahead of the 2024 season, Mueth has consistently earned the SoCon spotlight, garnering both preseason honors and being a first-team All-SoCon selection in 2025. The defender also contributed offensively last season, posting an assist in WCU's 9-0 win over VMI.

Samford was selected as the unanimous first-place selection, collecting 100 total points and 10 of the 11 first-place votes. With coaches unable to vote for their squad in the preseason poll, Furman earned the final first-place selection and 80 points, tying with ETSU for the runner-up position. Fourth overall, the Catamounts edged out Chattanooga and Mercer in the poll, with all three teams finishing within one point of each other.

UNCG was selected seventh with 43 points, just ahead of first-year newcomer Tennessee Tech, with 40 points. Wofford (32), The Citadel (19), and VMI (10) closed out the team poll.  

The fourth-place preseason selection is the lowest for the Catamounts since a fifth-place prediction ahead of WCU's 2023 championship campaign. The Catamounts have been selected to finish in the upper half of the Southern Conference standings for four consecutive seasons.

Mueth and the Catamounts open the 2026 regular season campaign hosting Winthrop on Thursday, Aug. 13, with a 6 p.m. kick at the on-campus Catamount Athletic Complex. WCU wraps up a four-game home stand, which included a pair of exhibitions, on Sunday, Aug. 16, by hosting in-state foe UNC Wilmington at 1 p.m. The Catamounts then hit the road to visit archrival Appalachian State on Aug. 20 in Boone. N.C.