This continues our series of daily articles previewing each men's and women's college conference. All the conference previews can be found here.

Last year was a new look of sorts for the Southeastern Conference as South Carolina rose up to win the postseason tournament. Shelley Smith’s Gamecocks will be battling to stay in the hunt despite losing standout defender Blakely Mattern and assists leader Kim Miller. Leading scorer Kayla Grimsley will be back, as will sister tandem Brittiny Rhoades and Kortney Rhoades, plus goalkeeper Mollie Patton.

Florida has been chosen by SEC coaches in a preseason poll to win the conference. Becky Burleigh’s Gators will return Ashlee Elliott after she missed most of last season with an ACL injury. Top-drawer goalkeeper Katie Fraine will be on hand along with standout attacking sophomores Lindsay Thompson and Erika Tymrak.

Georgia should also be strong, with midfielders Jamie Pollock, Laura Eddy and Susannah Dennis forming a strong central core, Ashley Miller in the front line and Kelli Corless leading the defense. Steve Holeman moved over from Ole Miss to replace Patrick Baker as head coach.

At Tennessee, Angela Kelly will have to deal with the loss of leading scorer Mick Imgram, but Chelsea Hatcher and Molly Baird lead a strong defensive unit, while Finnish youth international Sanna Saarinen is a great new arrival in midfield.

Ninth-year Vanderbilt head coach Ronnie Woodard has all-SEC pick Molly Kinsella back at forward, with talented sophomores Chelsea Stewart and CJ Rhoades in midfield. At Kentucky, the Wildcats conceded less than a goal a game but still finished 5-9-4 last season. Jenna Goblirsch leads returnees among the defensive unit.

In the Western Division, LSU will again be a strong contender for honors, with Carlie Banks, Courtney Alexander and Allysha Chapman leading the group of returnees, and a very strong freshman class arriving to help strengthen Brian Lee’s squad.

Karen Hoppa’s Auburn Tigers will also be strong, with goalkeeper Amy Howard and defenders Julie King and Sammy Towne providing quality in the back, and junior midfielder Katy Frierson one of the very most talented players in all of women’s college soccer.

Mississippi lost coach Steve Holeman to Georgia, but Matthew Mott arrives from an assistant’s role at Texas to take over. The Rebels lost a lot to graduation, but Dylan Jordan and Kelsey Breathitt are back and should be complemented by a new group of freshmen. Over in Starkville, Mississippi State coach Neil Macdonald will return Kat Walsh, Rachel Wannek, Monica Alvarado and Jasmine Simmons.

Ally Atkins, Allie Chandler, Laurel Pastor and goalkeeper Britni Williams lead a group of veterans back at Arkansas, while Todd Bramble’s Alabama Crimson Tide returns goalkeeper Justine Bernier along with Victoria Frederick, Brooke Rogers and Rosaly Petriello.