Posted: Aug 23, 2011

Women’s Soccer Picked Fifth in NAC Preseason Poll

WAUKESHA, Wis. -- The Northern Athletics Conference announced its 2011 women's soccer preseason coaches' poll and the Concordia University Wisconsin women's soccer program was chosen fifth overall. Five-time defending champion, Aurora University, was first after receiving 11-of-13 first-place votes and 161 points.

The Falcons finished last season with an 11-9-1 overall record and a 7-4-1 NAC record. CUW earned the fifth seed in the conference tournament last year and knocked off MSOE, 1-0, in the opening round of the conference tournament after junior Lauren Straehler's (Pewaukee, Wis.) scored on a penalty kick in the opening minute.

CUW's season begins with a non-conference match on Thursday, Sept. 1, against UW-Whitewater at 3 p.m. at Fitting Field. The contest is the first part of a doubleheader with the men's program that hosts St. Norbert College 30 minutes following the conclusion of the match. There is free admission to all regular season games.

Dominican University (15-5-1, 10-1-1) was second in the poll with 150 points and a first-place vote, followed by Edgewood College (15-5-1, 9-3-0) in third with 142 and MSOE (11-7-2, 8-2-2) in fourth with 132 and the remaining first-place vote. CUW (11-9-1, 7-4-1) was picked fifth and Marian University (9-8-1, 7-4-1) sixth to finish up the top half of the poll. The full preseason poll is available below.

Teams open play on Sept. 1, 2 or 3, and the first conference games take place on Sept. 6. The winner of the conference tournament, which takes place Oct. 29, through Nov. 5, receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.

2011 Northern Athletics Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Aurora (11), 161
2. Dominican (1), 150
3. Edgewood, 142
4. MSOE (1), 132
5. Concordia Wisconsin, 119
6. Marian, 102
7. Benedictine, 100
8. Maranatha, 75
9. Alverno, 57
10. Lakeland, 55
11. Wisconsin Lutheran, 44
12. Concordia Chicago, 33
13. Rockford, 13