The UCSB women’s soccer team has entered the NSCAA/adidas national rankings for the first time this season at No. 20.
It marks the first time in several years that the Gauchos have been part of the NSCAA/adidas national poll. They also remain in the Soccer Buzz Magazine poll, dropping from No. 21 to No. 23 after splitting a pair of weekend matches.
In addition to entering the NSCAA/adidas rankings, UCSB has entered the Soccer America poll at No. 24 and the Top Drawer Soccer poll at No. 42. When the Gauchos entered the Soccer Buzz poll two weeks ago, it marked the first time since the 1992 season that they had been ranked in any of the national polls. Regionally, UCSB is ranked fifth in the Far West in both the NSCAA/adidas and the Soccer Buzz polls.
UCSB, 5-2, will play Montana on Friday in Honolulu. The Gauchos will remain in the Islands to play Hawaii on Sunday.
With the two contests in Honolulu, UCSB will embark on its longest run of road games this season. After this weekend, the Gauchos will remain away from home for four more, traveling to Arizona State (Sept. 26), Arizona (Sept. 28), UC Riverside (Oct. 3) and Cal State Fullerton (Oct. 5) before returning home for an Oct. 19 match against Cal State Northridge.
Bill Mahoney is UCSB‘s assistant athletics director.