Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Picked to Finish Third in MAC in 2006
August 15, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 14, 2006
CLEVELAND, Ohio (BGSUFalcons.com) - The Mid-American Conference women's soccer coaches have made their predictions for the 2006 season, and the Bowling Green State University Falcons have been picked to finish third. The poll, released Monday afternoon (Aug. 14), is a result of voting by the league's 12 head coaches.
The third-place prediction is 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 seventh-year head coach Andy Richards return 10 letterwinners, including four starters, from last year's squad. BGSU won a school-record 14 matches last year, finishing with a 14-7-2 mark. The Brown and Orange won the first MAC regular-season title in school history with a 9-2-0 league ledger, then captured the MAC Tournament title for the second consecutive season.
The 2006 edition of the Falcons will open the season on Friday, Aug. 25, at Marquette. The home opener is one week later, as BGSU faces Xavier on Friday, Sept. 1, at Cochrane Field.
Central Michigan was picked to win the regular season and tournament titles. The Chippewas return 12 letterwinners, including 10 starters and were selected by seven of the league's coaches to win the conference tournament. CMU will be led by 2005 All-MAC first-team selections Anne Decker and Rosamaria Rago. Decker played in 19 matches last season and racked up 78 saves, while posting five shutouts. Rago has played in 59 matches in her career at CMU and has posted four goals, while assisting on five. Head coach Tony DiTucci also welcomes back 2005 All-MAC second-team selection Jacquie Lacek. Lacek played in every match for the Chippewas last season and scored two goals, while assisting on four. MAC All-Freshman team selection Erica Rohren also returns and comes back as the team leader in points (10) and goals (4).
Western Michigan was picked to finish second after finishing third last season with a 10-8-1 (8-3-0 MAC) record. Head Coach Mike Haines welcomes back 13 letterwinners, including five starters. Among those returnees is 2005 All-MAC first-team selection Chantal Robinson and All-MAC second-team selection Mandi Marsh. Robinson finished her junior season fourth in the conference with six assists and has assisted on 23 goals during her career. Marsh returns after scoring four goals last season, including three game-winners. Sophomore Thalia Playford will try and build on an outstanding freshman season where she scored six goals, including two game-winners and tallied 13 points.
Coaches tabbed Bowling Green, as mentioned, to finish third. The defending regular season and tournament champions will return 10 letterwinners, including four starters. Among those returning for 2005 MAC Coach of the Year Andy Richards are MAC All-Freshman team selections Susan Hunter and Corbie Yee. Yee was named MAC Freshman of the Year last season after scoring 15 points on six goals and three assists. Hunter played in all 23 matches and helped solidify a BGSU back line that posted a school-record nine shutouts, including three in the MAC Tournament.
Miami was picked to finish fourth and will bring back 16 letterwinners, including nine starters. Senior Kathleen Vistica earned All-MAC first-team accolades last season returns as the team leader in goals (7), assists (5), points (19) and shots (35). Head coach Bobby Kramig also welcomes back Danielle Hays, who was selected to the MAC All-Freshman team after assisting on two goals and scoring two points a year ago.
Kent State is projected to place fifth after finishing as the MAC Tournament runner-up last season. The Golden Flashes return 14 letterwinners this season, including nine starters. Among those returning for head coach Rob Marinaro are 2005 All-MAC second-team selections Kimberly Dimitroff and Heather Gilbert. Dimitroff followed up her Freshman of the Year season in 2004 with 10 points (4 goals, 2 assists) a year ago. Gilbert was a major contributor to a KSU defense that posted eight shutouts on the season. Also returning for the Golden Flashes is 2005 MAC All-Freshman team selection Catharine Marosszeky. Marosszeky will return as the team leader in points (15), goals (6) and game-winning goals (2).
Toledo was tabbed to finish sixth. The Rockets will return 18 letterwinners, including eight starters. Ball State and Eastern Michigan tied for seventh in the preseason poll this season after each reached the MAC Tournament a year ago. The Cardinals will be led by first-year head coach Michelle Salmon, who welcomes back 19 letterwinners (eight starters) this season. Among those returning for BSU are All-MAC second-team selections Sarah Leibel, Vandi Ogden and Angie Heyer. The Eagles will welcome back 11 letterwinners, including eight starters. 2005 MAC All-Freshman team selections Katie Zundell and Ashley Upton will attempt to build on the success they had with Eastern Michigan in their first seasons.
Ohio and Northern Illinois were picked to finish ninth and tenth, respectively. Ohio head coach Stacy Strauss will have 15 letterwinners returning, including eight starters. Among those returning for the Bobcats is MAC All-Freshman team selection Maggie Rojas. The Huskies and second-year head coach Marci Miller will bring back 14 letterwinners, including six starters. Sophomore Jenna Clausen will attempt to build upon her first season after being named to the MAC All-Freshman team a year ago.
Closing out the coaches poll this season are Buffalo in 11th place and Akron in 12th. The Bulls will bring back 16 letterwinners, including six starters. UB sophomore Brooke McCalla is coming off a season where she scored two goals while assisting on one. McCalla was named to the MAC All-Freshman team for her performance a year ago. Senior Jacque Pitchford will lead the Zips this season and has played in 51 matches during her career. Akron's Leslie Bullen also returns as the Zips' leader in points (7), goals (3) and shot pct. (.250).
MAC regular season non-conference action begins on Sunday, August 20, as Eastern Michigan hosts Oakland at 5 p.m. Conference play will begin on Friday, September 22 with a full slate of games.
2006 MAC PRESEASON POLL
1. Central Michigan 2. Western Michigan 3. Bowling Green 4. Miami 5. Kent State 6. Toledo T7. Ball State T7. Eastern Michigan 9. Ohio 10. Northern Illinois 11. Buffalo 12. AkronMAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPION: Central Michigan
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 (T-6th) Fourth First of 12 2006 Central Michigan ThirdAF - poll favorite's actual finish
(Portions of this release courtesy MAC office)
