INDIANAPOLIS – The Northern Kentucky women’s soccer team claimed its seventh Great Lakes Valley Conference title in 2009 and has been selected to repeat in 2010 by the league’s 15 head coaches. Northern Kentucky has been chosen as the favorite to win the 2010 GLVC Women’s Soccer Championship in the annual poll released by the conference on Thursday.
Northern Kentucky finished atop the GLVC Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 190 total points and 12 first-place votes.
In 2009, the Norse walked away from conference play with a league crown and head coach Bob Sheehan was honored as the GLVC Coach of the Year. Northern Kentucky completed the season with a 19-2-1 overall record and 12-2 mark in the GLVC.
The Norse defeated Quincy in the GLVC Championship match in 2009, 1-0, and then advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Final after defeating Quincy, 2-1. NKU tied top-ranked Grand Valley State in the NCAA Midwest Regional Final, 0-0, but failed to advance falling 5-4 in a shootout.
Quincy placed second in the poll with 177 total points and received two first-place votes. The Hawks will be looking for their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010. Quincy finished the 2009 season with a 15-6-1 overall record and 10-2-1 mark in GLVC play.
Bellarmine garnered 163 total points to finish third in the poll and received one first-place vote, while UW-Parkside, Indianapolis, and Drury finished fourth through sixth, respectively. UW-Parkside grabbed 155 total points, UIndy collected 148 and Drury snared 146.
Southern Indiana finished seventh with 113 total points and was followed by Rockhurst (103 total points), Lewis (82), Missouri-St. Louis (81), Missouri S&T (70), Maryville (65), Kentucky Wesleyan (37), St. Joseph’s (27) and Illinois-Springfield (18).
Illinois-Springfield will be eligible for the GLVC Women’s Soccer Championship in 2010. Maryville will not be eligible for a women’s soccer league title until the 2011 season.
The 15 member institutions will compete in a 14-match round robin conference schedule and the top eight teams in the league standings will advance to the 2010 GLVC Tournament which is scheduled to begin on Oct. 31. The highest remaining seed following the quarterfinal round will host the GLVC semifinals and final on Nov. 5 and 7, respectively.
The complete 2010 GLVC Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll follows:
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Team (First-place votes)
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Total Points
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1.
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Northern Kentucky (12)
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190
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2.
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Quincy (2)
|
177
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|
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3.
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Bellarmine
|
163
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|
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4.
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UW-Parkside (1)
|
155
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|
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5.
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Indianapolis
|
148
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|
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6.
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Drury
|
146
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|
7.
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Southern Indiana
|
113
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8.
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Rockhurst
|
103
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9.
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Lewis
|
82
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|
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10.
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Missouri St. Louis
|
81
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|
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11.
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Missouri S&T
|
70
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|
|
12.
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Maryville
|
65
|
|
|
13.
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Kentucky Wesleyan
|
37
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|
|
14.
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Saint Joseph’s
|
27
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|
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15.
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Illinois-Springfield
|
18
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