Puget Sound Strongly Favored to Win Again in 2005
| NWC Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll: |
2004 records |
| School |
(1st) |
Pts. |
All |
NWC |
| 1. Puget Sound (Wash.) |
(5) |
80 |
22-2 |
15-1 |
| 2. Willamette (Ore.) |
(2) |
72 |
12-6-2 |
10-5-1 |
| 3. Whitworth (Wash.) |
(2) |
70 |
13-5-1 |
12-4-1 |
| 4. Whitman (Wash.) |
|
52 |
11-8-1 |
8-7-1 |
| 5. Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) |
|
46 |
9-8-2 |
9-6-1 |
| 6. George Fox (Ore.) |
|
32 |
9-11 |
6-10 |
| 7. Pacific (Ore.) |
|
27 |
5-10-3 |
4-9-3 |
| 8. Linfield (Ore.) |
|
24 |
4-14-2 |
4-11-1 |
| 9. Lewis & Clark (Ore.) |
|
11 |
2-16-1 |
0-16 |
(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).
The University of Puget Sound is a strong favorite to win its fourth straight Northwest Conference title and fifth in the last six years, according to the 2005 NWC preseason coaches poll. The Loggers, who advanced to the NCAA Division III championship match after winning last season's conference crown, picked up five first place votes to finish ahead of Willamette University and Whitworth College.
Puget Sound, which finished 22-2 overall and 15-1 in the NWC last year, returns three First Team All-Northwest Conference selections, including 2004 NWC Offensive Player of the Year Courtney Kjar. Also back are senior goalkeeper Erin Williams and senior forward Elizabeth Pitman. However, the Loggers must overcome the graduation of two-time NWC Defensive Player of the Year Bridget Stolee and six-time NWC Coach of the Year Randy Hanson. Former assistant coach Dan Keene has taken over for Hanson. UPS fell 5-4 in penalty kicks after tying Wheaton (Ill.) 1-1 in last year's NCAA Division III national championship match.
Willamette, which picked up two first place votes and 72 total poll points, will be led by First Team All-NWC midfielder Susan Butler and senior forward Brenna Hindman. The Bearcats, who finished 12-6-2 overall and 10-5-1 in the NWC, have won or shared nine NWC titles in the last 12 years but have not won since 2002.
Whitworth is third in the poll with 70 points. The Pirates (13-5-1 overall, 12-3-1 NWC) return All-NWC forward Jael Hagerott and First Team All-NWC midfielder Ashley Fisk. Whitworth's second place finish in 2004 was the team's highest since sharing the NWC title with Willamette in 1995.
Whitman College totaled 52 points for fourth in the poll, coming off of an 11-8-1 season that included an 8-7-1 conference mark. Pacific Lutheran University (46 points) and George Fox University (32 points) followed in fifth and sixth places in the poll, respectively. PLU senior Andrea Gabler was a First Team All-NWC forward last season and returns to lead the Lutes (9-8-2, 9-6-1 NWC). George Fox improved greatly in 2004, finishing sixth in the conference (9-11, 6-10 NWC), and the Bruins return All-NWC defender Jill Steinfeld.
Pacific University (27 points) and Linfield College (24 points) finished in seventh and eighth place in the poll, respectively. Pacific does not return an All-NWC selection from 2004's team (5-10-3, 4-9-3 NWC), while Linfield (4-14-2, 4-11-1 NWC) must replace Erica Crossman.
Lewis & Clark College is ninth in its second ever NWC preseason coaches' poll. The Pioneers, in their first season as a varsity program, finished 2-16-1 overall and 0-16 in the NWC, while goal keeper Nora Germano was a Second Team all-conference selection.
The 2005 season kicks off on September 1st when Pacific hosts Mills College.