WAUKESHA, Wis. -- Aurora received 10 of 13 first place votes for the top spot in the Northern Athletics Conference preseason women's soccer poll, the conference announced Friday. The poll was voted on by the 13 head women's soccer coaches in the conference.
The Spartans (16-6, 10-1 NAC) have won four-straight NAC titles and three of the four tournament championships, losing only three games versus NAC opponents during that span. They return NAC Defensive Player of the Year Cait Hartman and NAC Freshman of the Year Britney Schenck this season.
The top eight spots in the poll match the final standings from a year ago. Dominican (10-9, 9-2) was second in the poll and received a first place vote. Concordia Wisconsin (12-6-2, 8-1-2) was picked third and Edgewood (12-5-2, 8-2-1) was fourth with the remaining two first place votes. MSOE (10-8-3, 7-3-1) was fifth, Marian (11-7-1, 6-5) sixth, Benedictine (6-10, 5-6) seventh and Concordia Chicago (8-11, 4-7) eighth.
Alverno (7-12, 2-9) was ninth, Maranatha (7-12, 3-8) 10th and Lakeland (4-15, 1-10) 11th. Wisconsin Lutheran (4-14, 1-10) and Rockford (0-13) filled out the bottom of the poll.
Teams open up the season with nonconference play next week, and the conference season begins on Saturday, Sept. 11.
The 2010 NAC Tournament, which features the top six teams, begins Sunday, Oct. 31, with the two opening rounds games, followed by the semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 3, and the final on Saturday, Nov. 6. Each tournament game is hosted by the higher seed of the two teams. The NAC tournament champion receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA III Championship, which beings the following week.
2010 NAC Preseason Poll
1. Aurora (10), 156
2. Dominican (1), 154
3. Concordia Wisconsin, 138
4. Edgewood (2), 135
5. MSOE, 115
6. Marian, 106
7. Benedictine, 95
8. Concordia Chicago, 67
9. Alverno, 61
10. Maranatha, 59
11. Lakeland, 42
12. Wisconsin Lutheran, 38
13. Rockford, 17
First place votes in parentheses.
Northern Athletics Conference, Sports Information Department, August 27, 2010