News Release

UW-Eau Claire Selected To Win WIAC Women�s Soccer Crown

RELEASED: Tuesday, August 25, 2009

UW-Eau Claire Selected To Win Women�s Soccer Crown

MADISON, Wis.--For the fourth consecutive season, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has been selected to win the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women�s soccer championship in a preseason poll conducted by the league�s sports information directors.

The Blugolds, who are ranked No. 15 nationally in the NCAA Division III National Soccer Coaches Association of America Preseason Poll, claimed four first-place votes in the conference projections. UW-Eau Claire has secured three first-place trophies in program history and accumulated a 28-1-3 record against WIAC adversaries the past four years. The Blugolds have appeared in the NCAA Division III Tournament four consecutive seasons. Graduated from last year�s squad are midfielder Liz Kooistra, who claimed WIAC Player of the Year honors and goalkeeper Allie Rivard, who established a conference career record with a 0.47 goals against average - allowing just 31 goals in 5,928 minutes.

UW-Stevens Point, the defending WIAC champion, captured four first-place votes in the survey and is expected to place second in the nine-team league derby. The Pointers are ranked No. 14 nationally and own a WIAC-best 12 conference titles. UW-Stevens Point returns two players with extensive playing experience from last year�s club that allowed just 17 goals, including none against WIAC opponents, while the offense tallied 96 goals, including 47 against conference foes. Graduated players include Amanda Prawat, the conference�s all-time leading scorer with 86 career goals and 204 career points. Head coach Sheila Miech enters the 2009 campaign 11th on the NCAA (Division I, II and III) all-time wins list with 320 victories.

UW-Whitewater picked up the remaining first-place vote and is slotted for third in the league ledger. The Warhawks have recorded back-to-back third-place finishes and reached the semifinals of the WIAC tournament both years. UW-Whitewater has achieved double-digits in wins in six of nine seasons under head coach Greg Henschel, who needs 10 victories to reach 100 in his career. The Warhawks will play their home matches at the newly renovated Fiskum Field that had lights installed following the 2008 campaign.

UW-La Crosse will play its nine home matches - including four straight to start the season - at the newly constructed Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex after being forced to play their entire 2008 home slate at Fields for Kids in La Crosse. The Eagles have advanced to the semifinals of the league tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1996 and 1997. UW-La Crosse has posted six straight winning seasons, the longest streak in program history.

UW-Stout returns its top seven scorers from a year ago, including junior midfielder Jessica Price. Six of 11 losses in 2008 were by one goal. In the past five seasons, the Blue Devils have compiled a 5-2-10 record in overtime contests.

UW-Oshkosh has placed in the top three of the WIAC standings six times in the past eight years. The Titans are coming off their first losing season in nine years, but six of the 10 losses in 2008 were by one goal. Senior forward Erin Rickhard leads the group of seven returning starters with 45 career starts.

UW-River Falls returns 83 percent (20 of 24 goals) of its scoring from the 2008 squad. The Falcons play four of their first five matches at home, but finish with six of eight on the road. Head coach Sean McKuras is the winningest coach in program history with 71 victories in seven seasons.

Allison Sanyi will be the acting head coach at UW-Platteville in place of Enzo Fuschino, who is recovering from a heart attack suffered August 1. The Pioneers made a six-match improvement from the 2007 season and are the only WIAC squad to have two All-WIAC selections from 2008 returning. UW-Platteville was one of 29 NCAA Division III clubs to win the prestigious National Soccer Coaches Association of America Ethics/Sportsmanship Award in 2008.

UW-Superior plays five of its first eight matches and four of its last six at home in 2009. The home field was renovated in the offseason.

2009 Preseason Predictions--Voted on by WIAC Sports Information Directors
2008 Record
1. UW-Eau Claire (4) 7-1-0, 18-2-4
2. UW-Stevens Point (4) 8-0-0, 19-4-0
3. UW-Whitewater (1) 5-3-0, 10-9-0
4. UW-La Crosse 4-3-1, 9-8-2
5. UW-Stout 3-3-2, 6-11-3
6. UW-Oshkosh 3-5-0, 5-13-0
7. UW-River Falls 2-5-1, 7-10-2
8. UW-Platteville 2-6-0, 9-9-2
9. UW-Superior 0-8-0, 3-15-1
( )--First-place votes

Team Tidbits

UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach: Sean Yengo; 13th season at UWEC; 170-65-21
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 18/9
Starters Returning/Lost: 6/5
Returning All-WIAC: None

UW-La Crosse
Head Coach: Sara Burton; 16th season at UWL; 140-105-20
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/9
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/7
Returning All-WIAC: None

UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach: Erin Coppernoll; 10th season (6th at UWO); 80-81-12 (overall) / 56-36-9 (UWO)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 15/8
Starters Returning/Lost: 7/4
Returning All-WIAC: Caitlin Casey, Jr., M (2007-First)

UW-Platteville
Head Coach: Enzo Fuschino; 3rd season at UWP; 12-22-7 (Allison Sanyi will serve as acting head coach)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 18/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 8/3
Returning All-WIAC: Allie Metcalfe, Sr., F (2008-First); Kim Schneckloth, Sr., F/D (2008-First); Sarah Gengler, Sr., M/F (2007-First)

UW-River Falls
Head Coach: Sean McKuras; 8th season at UWRF; 71-52-11
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 16/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 8/3
Returning All-WIAC: Megan Church, Jr., M (2008-First)

UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach: Sheila Miech; 23rd season at UWSP; 320-103-28
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/11
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/9
Returning All-WIAC: Mary Jean Cornelius, Jr., M (2008-First)

UW-Stout
Head Coach: Meagan Frank; 4th season at UWS; 17-34-3
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 14/9
Starters Returning/Lost: 8/3
Returning All-WIAC: Courtney Tideman, So., D (2008-First)

UW-Superior
Head Coach: Melissa Nelmark; 2nd season at UWS; 3-15-1
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 8/8
Starters Returning/Lost: 8/3
Returning All-WIAC: None

UW-Whitewater
Head Coach: Greg Henschel; 10th season at UWW; 90-70-9
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 26/4
Starters Returning/Lost: 8/3
Returning All-WIAC: Sara Brown, Jr., M (2008-First)

# # # # #


Submitted 2009-08-25 13:39:49 by Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Sports Information Department

Comments: