After an 11th-place finish last season, Utah women's soccer is expected to have an uphill climb to get back into Pac-12 contention and the postseason.
The Utes were picked to finish 10th in the conference in a preseason coaches poll. Utah finished third in 2013, but last year slid to an ugly finish while losing 8 of their final 10 games thanks in part to injury and stiff competition.
This year will be no less competitive: Stanford was picked to finish first after going to the Women's College Cup last year. Both the Cardinal and runner-up pick UCLA are top-five selections in the NSCAA poll, which includes five Pac-12 programs.