Coaches pick SMU to win WAC women's soccer title

[SMUguy]

SMU Favored by Coaches to Win 2002 WAC Soccer Title

Mustangs Claimed League's 2001 Regular Season and Tournament Crowns

DENVER, Colo. -- Defending Western Athletic Conference soccer champion SMU has been selected in a poll by the league’s coaches to defend its 2001 crown and earn its third-straight straight regular-season championship.

SMU totaled seven first-place votes and tallied 63 points to top the poll. Hawai’i and Rice tied for second place with 50 points, each receiving one first-place vote. Tying for fourth place were Boise State and Fresno State, each tallying 38 points. Rounding out the field are Tulsa with 36 points, San Jose State (25), UTEP (14) and Nevada (10).

SMU is coming off a 16-4 season in 2001 in which the Mustangs earned their third WAC tournament title and an 8-0 conference record. The Mustangs advanced to the NCAA second round before losing to Texas A&M in overtime, 2-1 in College Station, Texas. Head coach George Van Linder welcomes back eight starters and 14 letterwinners, including WAC Player of the Year Tara Comfort and Freshman of the Year Jill Heinemann.

Hawai’i finished the regular season 10-10 overall, 5-3 in the WAC, good for a second-place tie with Rice and Boise State.

The Rainbow Wahine lost in the 2001 WAC championship match to SMU, 2-0. The Wahine return seven starters and 17 letterwinners, including 2001 first-team All-WAC member Arlene Devitt. Devitt currently holds nine school records.

Rice ended the 2001 season 7-9 overall, 5-3 in the WAC. In the Owls' first season at Division I, they earned the No. 2 seed at the 2001 WAC tournament. WAC Coach of the Year Chris Huston returns all 11 starters and 16 letterwinners.

Second-team all-WAC members Sarah Yoder, Amanda Garrison and Caitlin Currie are all back for the Owls’ 2002 campaign.

This season, the WAC returns six first-team All-WAC performers from a year ago, including Hawai`i’s Arlene Devitt and SMU’s Tara Confort, Kim Harvey, Jill Heinemann, Diana Kelm and Erin McLeod.


Team Points
1. SMU (7) 63
2. Hawai’i (1) 50
Rice (1) 50
4. Boise State 38
Fresno State 38
6. Tulsa 36
7. San Jose State 25
8. UTEP 14
9. Nevada 10