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SMU FAVORED TO WIN 2003 CROWN - SMU is coming off a 13-6-4 season in 2002 that saw the Mustangs fall just short of the NCAA Round of 16, losing to Texas A&M in the penatly kick session at the 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.
AROUND THE WACBoise State ... With 20 regular season games, Boise States schedule includes four teams that played in NCAA postseason play last season; SMU, Cal Poly, Idaho State and Northern Colorado (DII). With seven returning starters, the Broncos look to better their 5-11-1 record from 2002. The Broncos welcome back the WACs leading scorer from 2001, Kaziah Hill, who returns after a red-shirt year. Their top three scorers, BreeAnn Milligan, Brittany Zoellner and Abbe Roche are all back for another season.
Fresno State ... is back to avenge its 2-1, two overtime semifinal loss to SMU in the conference tournament, bringing with it eight returning starters. The Bulldogs finished the 2002 season 8-13, and face the likes of Charlotte, Tennessee, California and 2002 national champion, Portland. The Bulldog trio of Kortney Lewis, Eriko Yoshiki and Katri Nokso-Koivisto bring 54 points to the table for the 2003 season.
Hawaii ... boasts the reigning WAC Player and Freshman of the Year, as well as the 2003 Preseason Player of the Year, Natasha Kai. Kai set the WAC record for both points and goals with 23 and 10, respectively, in conference matches. The Wahine tallied six conference shutouts in eight matches last season behind the play of sophomore goalkeeper, Mahie Atay, who is back to help lead Hawaii to its first-ever WAC crown.
Nevada ... posted four wins in 2002, tying for the most wins in a season since its inaugural campaign in 2000. The Wolf Pack return nine starters from that squad, including the leading goal scorer, junior Annie Baxter. Three-year starter, Kaula Rowe returns for her senior season as the schools all-time leader in points (35) and goals (16).
Rice ... With only one senior on this years squad and eight returning starters, Rice looks to better its 4-13-2 record from a year ago. Junior Sarah Yoder is back after setting single-season records for points (17) and goals (8), making her the career leader in goals (10), assists (9) and points (29). Goalkeeper Amanda Garrison tallied a 5.21 saves per game average in 2002, blocking 99 shots in 19 matches.
San Jose State ... faces the leagues toughest schedule, taking on five teams that played in the 2002 College Cup in its first seven games, including the past two NCAA Champions, Portland, Santa Clara and WAC foe SMU. The Spartans also square off with Pepperdine and Denver. There are four returning starters back from last season's squad, including keeper Erin Lavey who set a new school record with 133 saves last season and was second in the conference averaging 5.65 saves per game.
SMU ... was one penalty kick away from advancing to the 2002 College Cup Sweet 16. Texas A&M sent the Mustangs packing for the second time in as many seasons, beating SMU, 3-2 in penalty kicks. SMU returns seven starters from last seasons squad, including all-WAC members, Kim Harvey, Amanda Jordan and Jill Heinemann. Harvey, who was third in the conference last season with 16 goals and ranks fifth on the Mustang all-time career goals scored list. SMU plays host to this years WAC tournament, looking to make it three-straight titles.
UTEP ... looks to rebound after losing the nations best point scorers, Holly Cohen, Kelly Parker and Miranda Cuthbertson. The trio combined for 140 points in the Miners record-breaking season. UTEP finished first in the nation with 4.42 goals per match. With six returning starters, Kate Stevens leads the way, scoring seven goals and recording seven assists in 2002. Goalkeeper Kyla Clark, who was second in the WAC with 1.24 GAA in 2002, is back bringing with her a 10-3 record.
Tulsa ... The sophomore duo of Danielle Fauteux and Jamie German are back to better their combined point total of 43. The Golden Hurricane return nine starters from the 7-8-4 team from a year ago. Fauteux was fifth in the WAC in 2002 with 11 goals, while German was fourth in assists with eight. Goalkeeper Kelly Wilson was third with a GAA of 1.81, with one shutout and 102 saves.
Personnel capsule Here is a look at the letterwinners returning/lost and starters returning/lost.
Team LR LL SR SL
Boise St. 13 11 7 4
Fresno St. 17 4 8 3
Hawaii 17 5 7 4
Nevada 10 15 9 2
Rice 14 9 8 3
San Jose St. 9 7 4 7
SMU 18 6 7 4
UTEP 14 9 6 5
Tulsa 14 5 9 2
RETURNING ALL-WAC PLAYERS Of the 23 first and second team all-WAC players in 2002, 11 return for the 2003 season. Hawaiis Natasha Kai, last seasons WAC Player and Freshman of the Year heads the list of Wahine returners. There are four first-team selections and seven second-teamers on this years rosters.
Fresno State (2)
Katri Nokso-Koivisto, MF
Erin Sayegusa, MF
Hawaii (3)
Mahie Atay, GK
Arlene Devitt, F
Natasha Kai, F
SMU(3)
Kim Harvey, F
Jill Heinemann, MF
Amanda Jordan, SMU
UTEP(1)
Kaletia Roberts, MF
Tulsa (2)
Danielle Fauteux, MF
Jamie German, MF
FACING THE NATIONS BEST Seventeen teams that participated in the 2002 NCAA Tournament will be opponents of WAC teams this season. The list includes the likes of 2002 National Champion Portland, 2001 NCAA champion, Santa Clara and Pepperdine.
WAC SOCCER IN THE CLASSROOM WAC soccer players proved they can excel, not only the on the field, but the classroom as well. Last season, 52 womens soccer student-athletes were named to the 2002 academic all-WAC team.
2002 WAC INDIVIDUAL RECORD SETTERS UTEPs Kelly Parker was the single-season assist leader, with 19 assists in 2002, passing BYUs Jennifer Love who had 12 in 1996. In WAC play, Lauren Mussallem of SMU and Erin Quattromani of Hawaii each had seven assists, a new WAC record. Miranda Cuthbertson and Kaleita Roberts both assisted on four goals in a 10-1 win over Boise State (10/6), tying them with former Miner Jennifer Biondi, who posted four against Troy State in 1997, for most all-time in a single match. The mark is the best in a conference match. Freshman Natasha Kai had 23 points in WAC play, breaking the record held by Kim Harvey of SMU, who had 20 in 2001. Kai posted 10 goals in WAC play, passing the mark of nine also set by Harvey in 01. Kai also had 14 shots in the Wahine win over Long Island (9/19). The 14 shots are a new WAC single-match record. The record was formerly held by Stacie Savage of San Jose State, when she had 12 against Wyoming in 1997. Nevadas Megan Tarpenning had 137 saves on the season, tying her with Amanda Smith of UTEP(1998).
END OF THE DOMINANCE SMU was handed its first WAC loss since falling, 1-0, to San Jose State in 1999, when the Mustangs were defeated by Tulsa, 2-1 (10/25). The defending regular season champions finished the 2001 conference season undefeated. After going 6-0-1 in the 2000 season, the Mustangs managed an 8-0 record in 2002. They had not lost a regular season conference match since 1999. The Mustangs were 8-0-2 over the last two seasons. Before the loss, the Mustangs had not fallen in 20-straight conference matches.
2002 HAT TRICKS WAC competitors turned in 13 three-goal hat tricks last season. There was one all of the 2001 season (Arlene Devitt, UH). UTEP, and its high-scoring offense had seven on the season; three by Holly Cohen, two from Miranda Cuthbertson and one each from Kelly Parker and Kate Stevens. Tulsa freshman Danielle Fauteux notched three, while Hawaiis Natasha Kai posted two and SMUs Kim Harvey had one.