Milwaukee Picked as Preseason Favorite in Women's Soccer
INDIANAPOLIS– Milwaukee garners the top spot in the Horizon League preseason women’s soccer poll, the conference office announced today. All nine league coaches took part in the voting as Wright State finished second and Valparaiso took third.
The Panthers have owned or shared the past 10 regular season titles, winning three of the last five conference tournaments. UWM’s 2009 league record of 8-0-0 marks as the most conference wins in a single season.
The 2010 Panthers will be led by seven-time Horizon League Coach of the Year Michael Moynihan. Moynihan returns two first-team All-League members, including the reigning Player of the Year Sarah Hagen. Hagen, entering her junior season, already ranks fourth on the Horizon League all-time goals scored list and has collected eight Player of the Week accolades, most in conference history. In last year’s league championship match against Valparaiso, Hagen netted all four of the game’s scores, earning the distinction of Tournament MVP for a second consecutive season.
Preseason No. 2 Wright State finished second in the regular season with a league record of 6-2-0. The Raiders are guided by 2009 Co-Coach of the Year Pat Ferguson as he returns three first-team All-League honorees in seniors Meghan Hackerson and Jen Agueci and junior Bekah Bonny. WSU thrived on tenacious defense last year only giving up three goals throughout league play.
Third-ranked Valparaiso enters the 2010 season after competing in the conference championship game in 2009. The Crusaders finished the league regular season at 5-3-0, their best since entering the conference in 2007. Valpo dialed up the league’s second-highest goals scored total last year with a count of 28. Thirteen of those scores came from sophomores Luisa Desario and Rachel Hoaglin as they look to pilot Valparaiso this season.
The season officially kicks off on Friday, August 20 with seven of the nine league squads taking the field that night. The Horizon League Championship is set with first-round games on October 31 being played at campus sites before moving to the No. 1 seed for semi-final and championship game action on November 5 and 7.
Team Points 1st place votes
1. Milwaukee 64 8
2. Wright State 55 1
3. Valparaiso 46
4. Loyola 44
5. Butler 40
6. Green Bay 24
7. Detroit 23
8. Cleveland State 19
9. Youngstown State 9
