Tuesday, August 15, 2006

MACON, Ga. (August 15, 2006) - As the Bucs prepare for their second season in the Atlantic Sun, the ETSU women's soccer team has been picked to finish seventh by the conference coaches with Kennesaw State picked to win both the regular season and the conference title.

The Owls received nine of a possible 10 first place votes as they topped the poll with 99 points. Campbell, who has appeared in the last two A-Sun Championship title matches checks in at second with 77 points, while Gardner-Webb with 71 points was named third.

The Bucs finished its inaugural season in the A-Sun with an 8-11-1 overall record and earned a fifth seed in last year's conference tournament despite being picked to finish eighth in last year's preseason poll.

This season's ranking is reflective of the loss of last year's A-Sun Student Athlete of the Year and All-Conference second team selection, Erin Ashton (New Bern, N.C.) and All-Conference second team selection, Meghan Morris (Bowie, Md.). But with 13 starters returning and plenty of new talent, ETSU looks to make a statement and improve on last year's fifth place conference finish.

ETSU will open on the road in an exhibition match against Furman on Friday, August 18 before officially opening their season on Friday, Aug. 25 when they travel to Oxford to take on the Ole Miss. for a 7:00 p.m. match up.

The 12-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, UNF and Stetson with Florida Gulf Coast and USC Upstate beginning competition in 2007-08.