Men's soccer climbs to No. 7

[PonyPride]

From the SMU athletic department:



Men's soccer climbs to No. 7 in adidas/NSCAA poll

DALLAS (SMU) - After the first week of the 2003 season, the SMU men's soccer team moved up to the seventh position in this week's NSCAA/adidas men's Division I preseason poll released on Monday. The Mustangs were ranked 12th in the preseason poll.

Defending national champion UCLA remain in first followed by Maryland, Wake Forest, and Saint Louis. Creighton, at number 12, joins SMU as the only two Missouri Valley Conference squads in this week's poll.

The Mustangs head west this weekend to compete in the Loyola Marymount Fall Classic beginning Friday, Sept. 5. SMU will face host Loyola Marymount beginning at 6:00 p.m. CT. On Sunday, the Mustangs take on Santa Clara at 1:30 p.m. CT.

NSCAA/adidas NATIONAL RANKINGS
1 UCLA 2-0-0
2 University of Maryland 2-0-0
3 Wake Forest University 2-0-0
4 Saint Louis University 2-0-0
5 Indiana University 1-0-1
6 Stanford University 0-0-0
7 Southern Methodist University 1-0-0
8 University of North Carolina 2-0-0
9 University of Notre Dame 1-0-1
10 Virginia Commonwealth University 2-0-0
11 Rutgers 1-0-0
12 Creighton University 1-0-1
13 University of Alabama at Birmingham 0-0-2
14 University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 2-0-0
15 Cal State Northridge 2-0-0
16 Northeastern University 1-0-0
17 Hartwick College 1-0-0
18 Cal State Fullerton 2-0-0
19(T) Clemson University 1-1-0
19(T) Seton Hall University 1-1-0
19(T) St. John's University 0-2-0
22 University of South Carolina 1-0-0
23 Coastal Carolina University 1-0-0
24 University of Connecticut 0-2-0
25 Duke University 2-0-0

Also receiving votes: Bradley, Michigan, Tulsa, Pennsylvania

MIDWEST REGIONAL RANKINGS
1 Saint Louis University 2-0-0
2 Southern Methodist University 1-0-0
3(T) Bradley University 2-0-0
3(T) Creighton University 1-0-1
5 University of Tulsa 1-0-0
6 Southwest Missouri State University 1-0-0
7 Western Illinois University 1-0-0
8 Oral Roberts University 1-1-0
9 Evansville University 1-0-1
10 Lipscomb University 1-0-0

[EastStang]

Wow, seven of the top ten in the region from the MVC (our soccer conference). Getting out of the region will be a great feat.

[giacfsp]

Good point. Too many people assume soccer is like basketball, and that the ACC is automatically better than the rest of the country. But this region offers some pretty stout competition in soccer, too. Great preparation for the NCAAs.