All-WAC Returnees
Nine of the 22 All-WAC honorees from last season will return for 2001, with seven earning preseason all-conference mention. SMU, slotted to win this years WAC title, returns three All-WAC performers in senior forward Sarah Harvey, senior defender Christina Collins, and junior midfielder Kim Harvey, who was named 2000 WAC Player of the Year. Fresno State and UTEP both have two all-conference players from a year ago on this seasons roster. Senior forward Reyna Green and senior midfielder Aimee Thompson return for Fresno State, while junior midfielder Kelly Parker and sophomore goalkeeper Katie Gilmore return for UTEP. Tulsa and Hawai`i also bring back one all-conference player apiece. Julie Twellman, junior forward for Tulsa, and Arlene Devitt, sophomore forward for Hawai`i, both return for 2001 play. UTEPs Gilmore and Hawai`is Devitt are the only two All-WAC returnees to not earn preseason mention.
WAC Womens Soccer Drops One, Adds Two
After the loss of TCU, WAC womens soccer becomes nine-strong with the addition of Rice and Boise State. The 2001 season will serve as Rices first year of varsity competition, while Boise State, who begins its fifth year of play, will join the WAC ranks this season after four years as a Big West member. Louisiana Tech is the only WAC member to not sponsor womens soccer.
The WAC Against Ranked Opponents
WAC womens soccer collectively faces six nationally ranked opponents in eight games during the 2001 season. SMU tops the list with three ranked opponents in Stanford, Florida and Texas, who are ranked 5th, 16th and 18th, respectively. Fresno State, Hawai`i, Rice, San Jose State and Tulsa each have one ranked opponent apiece on this years schedule.
2000 WAC Womens Soccer Postseason
Despite SMUs regular season finish atop the WAC, San Jose State pulled off the conference tournament title a year ago. SMU ended up 6-0-1 in regular season conference play, earning them the No. 1 seed going into the WAC tournament. After SMUs first-round bye and fourth-seeded San Jose State eliminating fifth-seeded UTEP in game one, SMU was ousted by the Spartans, 3-1, in the semifinals. San Jose State then upset second-seeded Tulsa, 3-1, to advance to the NCAA tournament. The Spartans went on to fall to Stanford, 4-1, in the first round of the tournament.
Top WAC Players Return for 2001
Several of the leagues statistical leaders from a season ago can be found on 2001 WAC womens soccer rosters. SMU senior forward Sarah Harvey comes back as one of the conferences leading offensive powers. Harvey finished second in the WAC in points (28), goals (12), goals per game (.75) and points per game (1.75), only falling behind Fresno States Jill Pearson who was lost to graduation. Harvey also ended up ranked in the top 10 in shots, shots per game and game-winning goals. SMU also returns an offensive leader in Kim Harvey, a sophomore midfielder who posted top 10 numbers in shots, points, goals, shots per game, points per game and goals per game. Tulsas Melissa McCormick and Julie Twellman both return for the upcoming season after ranking in six and four offensive categories, respectively, a year ago. UTEPs Kelly Parker, Fresno States Aimee Thompson and Reyna Green, and Hawai`is Arlene Devitt also look to contribute to offensive efforts throughout the league after top 10 performances in 2000.
Five schools return top-ranked players in the goalkeeper spot. Eryn Meyer, a preseason All-WAC pick from San Jose State, racked up 92 saves in 21 games in 2000, which left her with an average of more than four per game and ranked in three goalkeeping categories. Tulsas Pam Devore, Fresno States Mary-tyler Wahl, Hawai`is Demarre Sanchez and UTEPs Katie Gilmore all return this year after posting top 10 numbers last season.
SMU Expected to Defend Regular Season WAC Title
SMU has been selected to defend its Western Athletic Conference womens soccer title, according to the preseason WAC coaches poll. The Mustangs received eight first-place votes and tallied 64 total points while San Jose State, the reigning WAC Tournament title holder, and Tulsa, last years regular season and tournament runner up, each tallied 51 points.
SMU finished last season with a 13-5-1 overall record, 6-0-1 in the WAC, to earn the regular season conference title. Despite being ranked in the top 25 throughout the season, SMU was passed over for an NCAA postseason bid, marking only the fifth time since 1990 that the Mustangs did not compete in postseason play beyond the conference tournament. SMU returns 17 letterwinners, including six starters.
San Jose State, which earned its first-ever bid to the NCAA postseason after winning the WAC Tournament title in 2000, finished the year 10-13-1. The Spartans return 10 letterwinners, including five starters from a team that outscored Tulsa, 3-1, in the WAC Championship match.
Tulsa brings back 17 letterwinners, including eight starters from a team that posted the second most wins in school history en route to a 13-6-1 overall record. After being picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll a year ago, the Hurricane, 5-2 in league play, culminated the year with a runner-up finish in both regular season action and at the WAC Tournament.
Fresno State finished in a close fourth place with 48 points. The Bulldogs return 10 letterwinners, including nine starters from an 11-9 team that advanced to the semifinals of the WAC Tournament before losing in double overtime to Tulsa.
Hawai`i is picked to finish ahead of conference newcomer Boise State and second-year program Nevada while Rice, which will kick off its inagural season, rounds out the poll collecting 29, 18, 16 and 14 points, respectively. Hawai`i returns seven starters, while Boise State returns seven of their top eight scorers from its 4-11-2 team in 2000. Nevada, with seven letterwinners returning collected four victories in its first season in 2000, but was winless in WAC action. Rice, with 14 true freshmen on the roster, will look to be competitive in its first season.
2001 Preseason All-WAC Award Winners Named
The Western Athletic Conference womens soccer coaches recently selected their 2001 preseason award winners. SMUs junior forward Tara Comfort was chosen as the preseason Player of the Year.
SMU, which has been picked to win the WAC title in 2001, led all schools with four players named to the preseason All-WAC team. San Jose State, chosen to finish second in the conference this year, followed with three picks, while Fresno State, picked to finish fourth, notched two honorees. Tulsa and UTEP each contributed one player to round out the team.
Comfort, who redshirted last year, earned first team All-WAC honors for her performance as a sophomore in 1999. She started every game that season and finished second for SMU in shots (65), goals (9) and points (25). The Carrollton, Texas, native also led the team with seven assists. Comfort returns as preseason Player of Year after playing in only two games last season due to injury.
Other All-WAC honorees that return from last season include Hawaii sophomore forward Arlene Devitt (second team) and UTEP sophomore goalkeeper Katie Gilmore (second team).
WAC Womens Soccer on the Web
The WAC site on the world wide web (www.wacsports.com) includes extensive womens soccer information. It includes the latest notes, statistics, standings and Players of the Week.
SMU to Play Host to WAC Championships, NCAA Womens College Cup
SMU will serve as the host school for the 2001 WAC Womens Soccer Championships as well as the 2001 NCAA Womens College Cup. Games will be played at Westcott Field in Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 7,8 and 10 for the conference tournament and Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Dec. 7 and 9 for the College Cup.