TicketsWomen?s Soccer Picked Seventh in Preseason
Bearcats Expected to Rebound from Disappointing 2003
Contact: Geoff Wiswell
8/12/2004
Amy Mink scored four goals in 2002 before missing last season due to injury |
IRVING, Texas ? The University of Cincinnati women?s soccer team has been picked to finish seventh in a preseason poll of Conference USA?s coaches. The Bearcats return six starters and 13 letterwinners from a 2003 squad that finished 11th following back-to-back league titles.
?I?m glad the league expects us to improve on last year?s finish,? said head coach Meridy Glenn, ?but it?s really all up to us to show that we are better. We just need to be more consistent. The top four teams in the league I have a lot of respect for, but most of C-USA is really anybody?s game.?
UAB, the 2003 regular season champions, has been selected to repeat, followed by Saint Louis, DePaul and Marquette. DePaul?s Julianna Stitch was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year.
The Bearcats have appeared in four NCAA Tournaments in the last 10 years, but finished 5-13-1 last year, suffering seven of those losses by one goal. The 2004 season opens on Aug. 27 at the Boilermaker Challenge Cup hosted by Purdue. The Bearcats play their first home match on Sunday, Sept. 5 against Dayton at 1 p.m.
Preseason Conference USA
Women?s Soccer Poll
1. UAB
2. Saint Louis
3. DePaul
4. Marquette
5. Charlotte
6. TCU
7. Cincinnati
8. Memphis
9. East Carolina
10. USF
11. Tulane
12. Houston
13. Louisville
14. Southern Miss
PreSeason All-C-USA
Breck Bankester, GK, USF
Jamie Craft, F, LOU
Nikki Hawkins, MF, HOU
Tara Kidwell, F, UAB
Yuiko Konno, F, MEM
Megan McCallion, F, ECU
Briana McCarty, D, UAB
Nicky McLeod, MF, MEM
Jessi Moore, F, TCU
Jamie Perry, F, SLU
Julianne Stitch, MF, DPU*
*Player of the Year