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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Picked to Finish Fourth in MAC in 2005
August 16, 2005 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 16, 2005
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Mid-American Conference women's soccer coaches have made their predictions for the 2005 season, and the Bowling Green State University Falcons have been picked to finish fourth. The poll, released Tuesday (Aug. 16), is a result of voting by the league's 12 head coaches.
The fourth-place prediction ties for the highest spot ever forecasted for the Falcons in school history. The entire preseason poll history for BGSU can be found at the bottom of the page.
The Falcons of sixth-year head coach Andy Richards return 15 letterwinners, including eight starters, from last year's squad. BGSU placed eighth in the final 2004 standings with a 5-5-2 MAC ledger, earning the final berth in the eight-team MAC Tournament. But, when tourney time arrived, the Brown and Orange reeled off three consecutive wins over higher-seeded teams to capture the first MAC Tournament title and NCAA Championships berth in school history. The Falcons finished with an overall mark of 10-12-2 last fall.
The 2005 edition of the Falcons will open the season on Friday, Aug. 26, hosting Oakland University, as part of a two-match homestand at Cochrane Field. The Brown and Orange will host Wright State two days later, before hitting the road for the next three matches.
Defending Mid-American Conference regular season co-champion Kent State was picked to repeat in the 2005 MAC women's soccer preseason poll. The Golden Flashes return 15 letterwinners, including 10 starters, and were selected by four coaches to win the conference tournament. KSU will be led by 2004 All-MAC First-Team selection, MAC All-Freshman team selection and MAC Freshman of the Year Kimberly Dimitroff. Dimitroff finished second in the MAC in points (36) and goals (16), while leading the conference in points per game (1.80 avg.) and goals per game (0.80 avg.). Dimitroff will be joined by MAC 2004 All-Freshman team selection Lisa Kurz, who scored six goals and assisted on two. Two-time MAC Coach of the Year Rob Marinaro will guide a Kent State team that finished first in the conference in goals per game (1.85 avg.) and third in points (103) and goals (37).
Ohio was picked to finish second after sharing the regular season title last year. The Bobcats return nine letterwinners, including five starters. Among those returnees are first-team All-MAC selections Crystal Reed and Larissa Najjar and second-team All-MAC selection Tiffany Horvath. Horvath finished her sophomore season ranked third in the MAC in shots (72), assists (7),fifth in points (25) and sixth in goals (9). Also returning is Lindsey Price, who will try and build on a freshman season where she scored three goals, assisted on three others and was selected to the MAC All-Freshman squad.
Coaches tabbed Western Michigan to finish third. The Broncos will return 13 letterwinners, including seven starters. Seniors Katie Ruzinsky, Andrea Tyler and Chelsea McNally are among those returning for head coach Mike Haines. Ruzinsky and Tyler were named to the All-MAC First Team last season, while McNally was selected to the All-MAC Second Team. WMU finished second in the conference in points (114), goals (38), assists (38) and corner kicks (121).
The Falcons, as mentioned, have been picked to finish fourth after representing the MAC in the NCAA Tournament last season. The Falcons are coming off a season where they won the conference tournament title and finished first in the conference in shots (352), points (130), goals (40), assists (50) and corner kicks (156). BGSU will welcome back 15 letterwinners and eight starters. Senior Leah Eggleton was selected to the All-MAC Second Team last season, while classmate Samantha Meister, a 2003 All-MAC First-Team pick, is tied for second in school history with 20 career goals. Eggleton and Meister comprise two-ninths of a stellar Falcon senior class (more information on those seniors, and the rest of the Falcons, to come in the season outlook story later this week).
Coaches picked Central Michigan to finish fifth this season. The Chippewas finished as the runner-up in the MAC Tournament last season and welcome back nine letterwinners to the squad this season. Juniors Rosamaria Rago, Jacquie Lacek and Anne Decker all return this season after receiving All-MAC recognition last year. Rago was named to the All-MAC First Team, while Lacek and Decker were selected to the All-MAC Second Team. Lacek finished fifth in the conference in points (25) and goals (10).
Eastern Michigan was tabbed to finish sixth. The Eagles will return 13 letterwinners, including All-MAC Second Team selection Trisha Roberts and All-Freshman Team selections Sara Schiffbauer and Jill Kehler.
Ball State was projected to finish seventh. The Cardinals bring back 17 letterwinners, including eight starters. MAC All-Freshman Team selection Betsy Wilcek will try to build on a great freshman season and will team with Amy Holst, who is the top returner in points (9) and goals (4).
Miami was picked to finish eighth and will bring back 13 letterwinners, including nine starters. The RedHawks will lose two-time MAC Player of the Year Ashley Swinehart and will rely on MAC All-Freshman selections Lindy Slinger and Jackie Levant. Slinger led Miami in assists last season with four and is the top returner in points (12) and goals (4).
Buffalo and Toledo were picked to finish ninth and 10th, respectively. UB head coach Jean-A. Tassy will have 16 letterwinners returning, including seven starters. Among those returning are seniors Anna-Lesa Calvert, who recorded 121 saves, and Natalia Crofut, who was the team leader (eighth in the conference) in goals last season with seven. Also returning for the Bulls is MAC All-Freshman Team selection Courtney MacVie. Toledo will welcome back 23 letterwinners, including 10 starters. Seniors Kelly Langenbeck and Sarah Crane will be among those returning this season. Langenbeck led the Rockets in points (13) and goals (6) last season, while Crane led in assists with four.
Closing out the coaches poll this season are Akron in 11th place and Northern Illinois in 12th. The Zips will bring back 10 letterwinners, including five starters. Junior Amee Thompson will return after scoring two goals and assisting on one. NIU will have a new head coach this season in Marci Miller. Miller will have 16 letterwinners return from a year ago, including 10 starters. Senior Carrie Dvorak will be back in goal for the Huskies after recording 122 saves last season. All-MAC Second Team selection Angeline Impelido will also be back for NIU after scoring three goals, while assisting on two last season.
2005 MAC PRESEASON POLL
1. Kent State 2. Ohio 3. Western Michigan 4. Bowling Green 5. Central Michigan 6. Eastern Michigan 7. Ball State 8. Miami 9. Buffalo 10. Toledo 11. Akron 12. Northern IllinoisMAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPION: Kent State
MAC PRESEASON POLL HISTORY
Year Poll Favorite (AF) BGSU Picked... BGSU's Actual Finish 1997 Northern Illinois (1st) Tie-Fifth Eighth of 8 1998 Northern Ill. (T-1st) Ninth Sixth of 11 1999 Ohio (5th) Sixth 10th of 12 2000 Eastern Michigan (2nd) Eighth Seventh of 12 2001 Miami (3rd) Sixth 12th of 13 2002 Miami (1st) Ninth Fourth of 13 2003 Ohio (T-5th) Fourth Eighth of 13 2004 Western Michigan (T-3rd) Tie-Fifth Eighth of 13 2005 Kent State FourthAF - poll favorite's actual finish
(Portions of this release courtesy MAC office)
