Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eagle Soccer Team Picked to Finish Second in MAC West Division
8/16/2010 2:30:39 PM | Soccer
Central Michigan and Miami predicted to win respective divisions
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's soccer team was picked to finish second in the West Division according to the 2010 Mid-American Conference preseason coaches poll, announced by the conference office Monday, Aug. 16.
The Green and White return 12 letterwinners including seven starters and four All-MAC selections from last year's squad that turned in an 11-4-6 record with a 6-1-4 league ledger, good for second in the MAC regular season. First-team selection junior Julie Kaim (Palos Hills, Ill.-AA Stagg), second-team pick, junior Katie Marsh (Dexter, Mich.-Dexter), and All-Freshman team choice Jessica Thomas (Calgary, Alberta-Bishop Carroll), will anchor a backline that will make it difficult to penetrate by opposing forwards. Junior forward Chelsea Detrick (Grosse Pointe, Mich.-Grosse Pointe) was also a 2009 second-team selection for the Eagles.
EMU accumulated two first place votes, which was second most to reigning conference regular-season and tournament champion Central Michigan University, who garnered nine. Toledo, picked third, received one first place vote followed by Western Michigan, Northern Illinois and Ball State to round out the West Division.
In the East Division, Miami was the majority pick to win with six first place votes. Akron was picked to finish second with four first place votes followed by Ohio, which garnered two votes. Kent State, Bowling Green and Buffalo rounded out the East Division preseason poll.
Due to the newly formatted divisional setup in 2010, the Eagles will be seeking its first West Division crown and first conference title since 2003. The East and West Division champions will earn the top two seeds in the MAC Tournament while the rest of the eight-team field will be seeded according to point total regardless of division. The MAC Tournament starts October 31, at campus sites and will then move to the home of the highest remaining seed for the semifinals and final which will take place November 5-7.
The regular season opens this Friday, August 20, for seven of the league's teams with the Eagles traveling to Ann Arbor to take on the University of Michigan in their season opener Sunday, Aug. 22. The conference season begins September 24, and will wrap up on October 28.
2010 MAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
(First-place votes in parentheses)
East
1. Miami (6)
2. Akron (4)
3. Ohio (2)
4. Kent State
5. Bowling Green
6. Buffalo
West
1. Central Michigan (9)
2. Eastern Michigan (2)
3. Toledo (1)
4. Western Michigan
5. Northern Illinois
6. Ball State
