DENVER, COLO. Defending Western Athletic Conference soccer champion SMU has been selected in a poll by the leagues coaches to defend its crown in 2003 and take home the regular-season title.
SMU earned seven first-place votes and tallied 63 points to top the poll. Hawaii finished in second place with 50 points and one first place vote, edging Fresno State who gathered 49 with no first-place votes. UTEP received 45 points for fourth place. Tulsa, who picked up one first-place vote, was picked to finish fifth with 35 points. In sixth place was Rice with 34 points, followed by Boise State (19), San Jose State (18) and Nevada (10).
SMU is coming off a 13-6-4 season in 2002 that saw the Mustangs fall just short of the Round of 16, falling to Texas A&M in the penatly kick session at the 2002 NCAA Tournament. The Mustangs are returning seven starters including junior defender Amanda Jordan, a 2002 first team all-WAC selection. Kim Harvey, a second-team member also returns for her senior season. The Mustangs will enter the 2003 season under the helm of new head coach John Cossaboon, the former head coach of San Diego. He replaces George Van Linder who ran the Mustang program for four years before leaving for Baylor.
Hawaii was ousted in the first round of the 2002 WAC Tournament but returns boasting the reigning WAC Player and Freshman of the Year, Natasha Kai. The forward set the WAC record for goals in the conference season with 10. Senior Arlene Devitt, a second team all-WAC member a year ago, is back to the help the Wahine grab their first WAC crown. Hawaii will also look for Stanford transfer Robyn deHay to add strength in the midfield.
Fresno State finished third in this years poll, with the return of the sophmore trio of Katri Nokso-Koivisto, Eriko Yoshiki and Kortney Lewis. The three combined for 54 points in the 2002 season. The Bulldogs took SMU to two overtimes at the 2002 WAC Tournament, before falling 2-1 and missing the chance at their first WAC title since 1999.
Team, Points1. SMU (7), 63
2. Hawaii (1), 50
3. Fresno State, 49
4. UTEP, 45
5. Tulsa (1), 35
6. Rice, 34
7. Boise State, 19
8. San Jose State, 18
9. Nevada, 10