It's interesting that the B12 coaches had such a different view than the National Rankings.

Four Big 12 teams are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25 Poll – TCU (No. 9), BYU (13), Texas (15) and UCF (24).

2023 Big 12 Conference standings in a preseason vote of the league's head coaches.

TEAM POINTS
1. BYU (6) 156
2. TCU (3) 155
3. Texas (5) 152
4. West Virginia 132
5. Texas Tech 117
6. UCF 115
7. Okla State 100
8. Kansas 83
9. Oklahoma 68
10. Houston 47
11. Baylor 43
12. Kansas St 41
13. Cincinnati 36
14. Iowa State 29

I'm surprised our women's soccer isn't playing as an affiliate member in another conference like our men's soccer.

(08-14-2023 10:39 AM)Golden Jedi Knight Wrote:  I'm surprised our women's soccer isn't playing as an affiliate member in another conference like our men's soccer.

shouldn't be surprised... lots to B12 schools have women's teams for Title IX requirements, but can't field both teams and remain in compliance.

We have rasslin, and not men's soccer. Iowa State doesn't have a baseball team.

lot's of oddities due to Title IX

Looking forward to the season. Eric Bell has done a great job building the TCU program from one that had never made the NCAAs when he arrived in 2011 to one that has now made 7 straight 2016-2022 including making it to at least the round of 16 for the past 3 seasons.

We are retaining strength in women's soccer and adding some very good programs. Since 2012; Texas' regular season title last year is the only title lifted by OU or Texas. WVU won 5 regular season titles in a row from 2012 to 2016 plus they won the 2018 and 2022 tournament.

(08-14-2023 10:46 AM)CaliforniaCowboy Wrote:  

(08-14-2023 10:39 AM)Golden Jedi Knight Wrote:  I'm surprised our women's soccer isn't playing as an affiliate member in another conference like our men's soccer.

shouldn't be surprised... lots to B12 schools have women's teams for Title IX requirements, but can't field both teams and remain in compliance.

We have rasslin, and not men's soccer. Iowa State doesn't have a baseball team.

lot's of oddities due to Title IX

One of my classmates at UCF was on one of the last men's cross country teams we had before the program was shut down. Women's cross country is still here.

EDIT: In the American, Tulsa and SMU didn't have baseball. Temple ended their baseball program a few years ago. Because of the shortage of baseball teams after Temple stopped playing, each American baseball team played one other conference opponent twice each season. For example, UCF and USF played each other in 6 games every season; 3 in Orlando, 3 in Tampa. I'm glad we have enough baseball teams in the Big XII not to come up short on the schedule.

(08-14-2023 10:39 AM)Golden Jedi Knight Wrote:  I'm surprised our women's soccer isn't playing as an affiliate member in another conference like our men's soccer.

that's not how this conference thing works. if the conference sponsors the sport then its members play. the only big 12 school that had men's soccer was WVU and now UCF. that's why both are in the Sun Belt (along with 2 SEC schools: South Carolina and Kentucky).

(08-14-2023 10:39 AM)Golden Jedi Knight Wrote:  I'm surprised our women's soccer isn't playing as an affiliate member in another conference like our men's soccer.

Uh... Because the Big XII actually sponsors Women's Soccer but doesn't sponsor men's...

(08-15-2023 05:56 AM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(08-14-2023 10:39 AM)Golden Jedi Knight Wrote:  I'm surprised our women's soccer isn't playing as an affiliate member in another conference like our men's soccer.

Uh... Because the Big XII actually sponsors Women's Soccer but doesn't sponsor men's...

Got it, I didn't know that before. I guessed it was a move that was made to reduce travel for the men's team, or something, and figured maybe it was the same for our women's team as well. Should've remembered how Title IX has impacted sports: More opportunities for women, fewer for men.