SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? UNC Greensboro is the preseason favorite to claim the Southern Conference women’s soccer crown again in 2008, according to a poll of the conference’s 12 head coaches. The coaches also selected an 11-member preseason all-conference team.
The Spartans, who have claimed three of the last four SoCon regular season titles, including 2006 and 2007, return 17 of 22 players from last season’s team and eight of the nine top scorers. Included in the mix are preseason all-SoCon selections Kelly Attayek, Kristin Player, Katelynn Donovan and Jamie Corti. UNCG received 118 total points and 10 of 12 first-place votes.
Davidson, which finished second in the regular season last year with an 8-1-1 record, was selected to finish second again this season by the league’s coaches, equaling Furman with 101 total points. The Wildcats received one first place vote while forward Kyri Bye-Nagel earned preseason all-SoCon honors.
Furman, the 2007 SoCon Tournament champion, was tied with Davidson for second in the standings while the Lady Paladins’ Rachel Fry, Ashley Creavalle and Briana da Mota were all selected to the all-SoCon team.
SoCon-newcomer and 2007 NCAA Tournament participant Samford (87 points) grabbed the fourth slot and edged out College of Charleston (86), which garnered one first-place nod.
The Cougars’ Katie Browne and Danielle Jordan were selected to the preseason all-conference team as was Georgia Southern forward Ashley Toussaint.
Western Carolina (78), Appalachian State (64), Elon (47) and Wofford (43) grabbed the sixth through ninth spots, respectively while Georgia Southern (36), The Citadel (17) and Chattanooga (15) finished out the poll.
Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team in the preseason poll nor could they select their own players for the all-conference team.
The 2008 season begins on Friday, Aug. 22 as seven SoCon teams are in action that day. The first SoCon match of the season is Thursday, Sept. 25 when Davidson visits Furman in a rematch of a double-overtime semifinal match from the 2007 SoCon Championship.
2008 Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. UNC Greensboro (10) 118
2t. Davidson (1) 101
2t. Furman 101
4. Samford 87
5. College of Charleston (1) 86
6. Western Carolina 78
7. Appalachian State 64
8. Elon 47
9. Wofford 43
10. Georgia Southern 36
11. The Citadel 17
12. Chattanooga 15
2008 Women’s Soccer Preseason All-Southern Conference Team
F Kyri Bye-Nagel, Davidson
F Kristin Player, UNC Greensboro
F Kelly Attayek, UNC Greensboro
F Ashley Toussaint, Georgia Southern
MF Rachel Fry, Furman
MF Katelynn Donovan, UNC Greensboro
MF Katie Browne, College of Charleston
D Danielle Jordan, College of Charleston
D Ashley Creavalle, Furman
D Jamie Corti, UNC Greensboro
GK Briana da Mota, Furman