NEW ORLEANS - The 2025 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Poll and Preseason All-Conference Team were announced by the league office on Wednesday afternoon. Old Dominion was picked to finish third in the league as voted on by the Sun Belt Conference head coaches. The Monarchs received one first place vote.
Junior defender Ashlynn Kulha was named Sun Belt Preseason Defender of the Year and is a member of the 2025 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team. Recently, she was also named to the United Soccer Coaches Defenders to Watch list for the upcoming 2025 season.
She had a standout sophomore season in 2024, earning Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-Sun Belt First Team honors. A native of Holly Springs, North Carolina, she helped ODU rank first in the SBC for goals allowed (8), clean sheets (5), and goals against average (.80). Kulha started all 18 games on defense and played every minute. She was named a Third-Team All-American by the USC, one of three Sun Belt Players to earn the honor. Additionally, she became only the second ODU women’s soccer player to earn an All-American distinction since Ece Turkoglu earned Third-Team All-American honors in 2023. Kulha was also included on the USC All-Southeast Region First-Team and was selected to the College Sport Communicators Academic All-District Team.
The Monarchs host East Carolina today at 3 p.m. in a home exhibition contest at the ODU Soccer Stadium. ODU’s first home game of the regular season is on August 17 at 6 p.m. against William & Mary.
2025 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Soccer Preseason Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year:
Ginny Lackey, James Madison (So., F, Manchester, England)
Preseason Midfielder of the Year:
Victoria Meza, Texas State (Jr., M, San Salvador, El Salvador)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:
Ashlynn Kulha, Old Dominion (Jr., D, Holly Springs, N.C.)
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year:
Sofia DeCerb, James Madison (R-So., GK, Greensburg, Pa.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
F – Ginny Lackey, James Madison (So., Manchester, England)
F – Aaliyah Faddoul, Georgia State (Jr., Ontario, Canada)
F – Izzi Wood, App State (Gr., Hickory, N.C.)
M – Ellie Garrison, App State (So., Trinity, N.C.)
M – Victoria Meza, Texas State (Jr., San Salvador, El Salvador)
M – Jamie Swartz, James Madison (Sr., Palmyra, Pa.)
D – Eefje Botjer, Coastal Carolina (So., Schiffdorf, Germany)
D – Kennley Bradley, Texas State (Gr., Ogden, Utah)
D – Ashlynn Kulha, Old Dominion (Jr., Holly Springs, N.C.)
D – Jordan Yang, James Madison (Sr., Clifton, Va.)
GK – Sofia DeCerb, James Madison (R-So., Greensburg, Pa.)
2025 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
1. James Madison (9) – 189
- Texas State (3) – 178
- Old Dominion (1) – 169
- South Alabama – 145
- Coastal Carolina – 117
- Georgia State – 115
- ULM – 114
- App State – 102
- Georgia Southern – 84
- Marshall (1) – 68
- Louisiana – 64
- Southern Miss – 52
- Arkansas State – 40
- Troy – 33