NSIC RELEASE
ST. PAUL, Minn.- The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference announced today that the Augustana soccer team has been selected to finish sixth in the 2010 NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Vikings received 104 points in the poll, which is voted on by the conference's 14 head coaches. Winona State received 162 points and nine first-place votes to take the No. 1 spot.
Minnesota State, Mankato, which was tabbed as the preseason favorite the past two seasons, received 152 points and two first-place votes to grab the No. 2 spot. Minnesota Duluth, St. Cloud State and U-Mary were third, fourth and fifth, respectively.
WSU's Lauren Sturdivant was named the NSIC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while UMD's Maria Lieder was selected as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year .
Augustana's
Jessie Huff and
Kate Timmons were named Preseason Players to Watch. Huff scored seven goals last season, while Timmons recorded one assist.
Augustana and fifth-year head coach
Brandon Barkus return 19 letterwinners from 2009's squad and add eight newcomers to the roster for 2010. The Vikings welcome back their top scorer in senior midfielder
Katie Shandri, who netted 10 goals last season and was an All-NSIC second team pick. All-NSIC third team selection
Jill Goodrich, a senior defender, and honorable mention honoree
Ciara Godfrey, also a senior defender, are back as well. Senior midfielder/forward
Stephanie Goos, who led the team with six assists in 2009, also returns.
Augustana opens the season with a trio of exhibition matches, facing Dakota Wesleyan at 6 p.m. on Aug. 20 at home and traveling to Missouri Western State on Aug. 27 at 2 p.m. and Nebraska-Omaha on Aug. 28 at noon. Augustana ushers in regular season play in Durango, Colo., on Sept. 3 at 4:30 p.m. against Mesa State (Colo.). Sept. 18 marks the first conference match for the Vikings as they host the University of Mary at 11 a.m.
NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Winona State (9), 162
2. Minnesota State (2), 152
3. Minnesota Duluth (3), 150
4. St. Cloud State, 134
5. University of Mary, 111
6. Augustana, 104
7. Bemidji State, 104
8. Northern State, 88
9. Upper Iowa, 75
10. Concordia-St. Paul, 67
11. MSU Moorhead, 45
12. Wayne State, 33
13. Southwest Minnesota State, 25
14. Minnesota, Crookston, 24
