Puget Sound Strongly Favored to Win Again in 2006

NWC Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll:			2005 records
School	(1st)	Pts.	All	NWC
1. Puget Sound (Wash.)	(7)	86	18-2-2	15-0-1
2. Willamette (Ore.)	(2)	69	11-6-3	9-4-3
3. Whitworth (Wash.)		56	8-8-3	7-7-2
4. Whitman (Wash.)		55	10-6-3	8-5-3
5. Pacific Lutheran (Wash.)		51	11-6-2	9-5-2
6. Lewis & Clark (Ore.)		34	7-10-3	5-9-2
7. Linfield (Ore.)		23	5-11-4	3-10-3
8. Pacific (Ore.)		22	7-12-1	4-11-1
9. George Fox (Ore.)		18	6-13-1	3-12-1

(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 fifth straight Northwest Conference title and sixth in the last seven years, according to the 2006 NWC preseason coaches poll. The Loggers, who advanced to within a game of the NCAA Division III Final Four after winning last season's conference crown, picked up seven first place votes to finish ahead of Willamette University.

Puget Sound, which finished 18-2-2 overall and 15-0-1 in the NWC last year, returns two First Team All-Northwest Conference selections in sophomore defender Janece Levien and junior forward Adrienne Folsom. However, the Loggers must overcome the graduation of two-time NWC Offensive Player of the Year Cortney Kjar and 2005 NWC Defensive Player of the Year Katie Wullbrandt, along with GK Erin Williams. UPS does welcome back six-time NWC Coach of the Year Randy Hanson, who returns to the bench after a year in which the team was in the hands of Dan Keene, who returns to the top assistant position.

Willamette, which picked up two first place votes and 69 total poll points, will be led by First Team All-NWC midfielders Susan Butler and Laura Uhlmansiek. The Bearcats, who finished 11-6-3 overall and 9-4-3 in the NWC last fall, have won or shared nine NWC titles in the last 13 years but have not won since 2002.

Whitworth College is third in the poll with 56 points, one point ahead of Whitman College. The Pirates (8-8-3 overall, 7-7-2 NWC) played all of last season without former NWC Offensive MVP Jael Hagerott, who is expected to return in 2006. The Pirates return eight other starters as well.

Whitman College is fourth in the poll, coming off of an 10-6-3 season that included an 8-5-3 conference mark. Junior forward Kristen Berndt and senior forward Sammie Arthur will lead a potent attack for the Missionaries.

Pacific Lutheran University (51 points) was in fifth place in the poll with 51 points. The Lutes (11-6-2 overall, 9-5-2 in the NWC in 2005) return a pair of super sophomore forwards who were Second Team All-NWC selections as freshmen: Megan Shannon and Christina McDuffie.

Lewis & Clark College, which made great improvements as a young program in 2005, is sixth in the poll with 34 points. The Pioneers (7-10-3 overall, 5-9-2 NWC last fall) welcome back leading scorer Lisa Housman.

Linfield College (23 points) edged Pacific University (22 points) for seventh place in the poll. The Wildcats (5-11-4 overall, 3-10-3 NWC in 2005) hope to improve under new head coach Melanie Langley, while the Boxers (7-12-1 overall, 4-11-1 NWC last year) hope to do the same under new head coach Joy Boswell.

George Fox (18 points) was ninth in the poll. The Bruins will try to bounce back from last season's ninth place finish (6-13-1 overall, 3-12-1 NWC) behind Second Team All-NWC goal keeper Jessica Cardwell.

The 2006 season kicks off on September 1st when Linfield hosts Cal State East Bay.