ROME, Ga. – A season after finishing with four victories in USA South Conference action, under first-year head coach Octavia Saunders, the Salem soccer team was picked to finish fourth in the East Division in a poll conducted of the coaches, the league announced on Wednesday.
Pfeiffer, who garnered six first-place votes, was predicted to win the East Division ahead of Greensboro and Methodist, respectively. Greensboro had three first place votes in the polls.
The Spirits, who were 7-12 overall in 2018, captured wins over USA South foes Meredith (Sept. 30), N.C. Wesleyan (Oct. 6), Methodist (Oct. 10) and William Peace (Oct. 20) a season ago. Salem reached the quarterfinal round of the USA Tournament before ending the season with a 2-0 setback to Covenant on Oct. 27.
Salem outscored its opposition 27-14 during the course of the 2018 campaign, finishing 5-5 at home. The Spirits return 13 upperclassmen from a season ago, including Hannah Wagner, who lead the team in saves with 117, and Alyssa Denkovich, who netted four goals and handed out two assists.
Salem opens the 2019 regular season at Bob Jones on August 31 at 5 p.m.
(2019 USA South Conference Preseason Polls)
East Division
| Rank | Institution (First Place Votes) | Pts. |
| 1 | Pfeiffer* (6) | 62 |
| 2 | Greensboro^ (3) | 54 |
| 3 | Methodist | 51 |
| 4 | Salem | 40 |
| 5 | N.C. Wesleyan | 36 |
| 6 | Meredith | 33 |
| 7 | Averett | 23 |
| 8 | William Peace | 16 |
| 9 | Mary Baldwin | 9 |
*-ineligible for USA South Tournament (Reclassifying Member)
^-Defending Division Champion
West Division
| Rank | Institution (First Place Votes) | Pts. |
| 1 | Piedmont# (5) | 61 |
| 2 | Maryville^ (4) | 60 |
| 3 | Covenant | 48 |
| 4 | Huntingdon | 41 |
| 5 | Brevard* | 38 |
| 6 | Berea | 27 |
| 7 | Agnes Scott | 24 |
| 8 | LaGrange | 13 |
| 9 | Wesleyan | 12 |
*-ineligible for USA South Tournament (Reclassifying Member)
^-Defending Division Champion
#-Defending USA South Tournament Champion