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Connecticut Picked To Finish Second In BIG EAST Preseason Poll
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The University of Connecticut
women’s soccer team was picked to finish in second place in the BIG EAST
American Division today, by the league’s 16 head coaches, who were not permitted
to vote for their own teams. The Huskies received seven first place votes and
totaled 111 points falling just shy of West Virginia’s 114.
As one of three BIG EAST teams to advance to the Elite
Eight (quarterfinals) of the 2007 NCAA Championship, the Huskies (14-6-2, 8-2-1
BIG EAST) finished the year ranked No. 9 in the NSCAA/adidas Poll following
three positive results away from home. Returning senior Liz Eng saw action in
all 22 matches last season and was named to the All-BIG EAST Preseason Team.
UConn is one of only two teams that has been to every NCAA Women’s Soccer
Championship since the tournament’s inception in 1982.
UConn senior goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe also earned
preseason honors as she was picked to be the Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year.
During the 2007 season, Labbe posted a career-best .61 Goals Against Average
(17th in the nation) only allowing 14 goals in 2058 minutes of play. Currently,
Labbe is a part of the 2008 Olympics where she is an alternate on the Canadian
women’s soccer Olympic team.
Notre Dame and West Virginia have been tabbed as favorites
in the 2008 BIG EAST preseason women’s soccer poll. The Irish received 15
first-place votes and were unanimously picked to win the National Division,
while the Mountaineers were picked to win the American Division. Both programs
have won their respective division titles the last three years.
2008 BIG EAST WOMEN’S SOCCER POLL PRESEASON COACHES’
POLL
2007
2007 BIG EAST Finish
American Points Overall BIG EAST
Regular Season
1. West Virginia (9)
114 18-5-2 9-1-1 1st
2. Connecticut (7)
111 14-6-2 8-2-1 2nd
3. Marquette
90 12-4-4 5-3-3 3rd
4. St. John’s
77 11-5-3 6-5-0 4th
5.
USF 65 4-10-3
3-6-2 5th
6. Providence
38 3-14-1 2-9-0 7th
6. Syracuse
38 7-8-4 3-6-2 6th
8. Pittsburgh
35 6-10-2 1-8-2 8th
2007 2007 BIG
EAST Finish
National Points Overall BIG EAST
Regular Season
1. Notre Dame (15)
120 19-5-2 11-0-0 1st
2. Louisville (1)
96
13-6-2
7-3-1
2nd
3. Georgetown
87
14-8-0
6-5-0
3rd
4. Rutgers
86 9-9-3 4-5-2 5th
5. Villanova
69 11-4-6 4-3-4 4th
6. Seton Hall
48
8-8-2
4-6-1
6th
7. Cincinnati
36 6-10-2 3-7-1 7th
8. DePaul
26 5-13-1 2-9-0 8th
2008 BIG EAST PRESEASON AWARD WINNERS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Brittany Bock, Sr., M/F, Notre Dame
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Kelly Eagan, Jr., D, Villanova
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Stephanie Labbe, Sr., Connecticut
2008 ALL-BIG EAST PRESEASON TEAM
Greer Barnes, Sr., M, West Virginia
Carolyn Blank, Jr., M, West Virginia
*Brittany Bock, Sr., M/F, Notre Dame
Amanda Cicchini, Sr., M, West Virginia
Gina DeMaio, Jr., M, Rutgers
Kelly Eagan, Jr., D, Villanova
Elizabeth Eng, Sr., F, Connecticut
Deana Everrett, Sr., F, West Virginia
Sara Jordan, Sr., M, Georgetown
*Kerri Hanks, Sr., F, Notre Dame
Katie Kelly, Sr., D, Marquette
Stephanie Labbe, Sr., GK, Connecticut
Shannon Smyth, Sr., F, Louisville
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