MSUB Women’s Soccer Third in GNAC Preseason Poll

SPOKANE, Wash. – The Montana State Billings women’s soccer team has been selected third in the annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference preseason poll announced Thursday.  The Jackets received 34 points, behind conference favorite Seattle Pacific (49) and Western Washington (40).

Central Washington was selected fourth by the league’s coaches and received 25 points, followed by a tie between Northwest Nazarene and Western Oregon with 17 points and Saint Martin’s tallied 14 points.  Points are awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. 

The Yellowjackets are coming off a 9-10-1 season in 2007 and a 5-8-1 record in their first year in the GNAC.  MSUB returns 13 letter winners and nine starters from a year ago, including four all-stars.  Forward Samantha Sandau, midfielders Mandy Ploskonka and Danielle Ritter along with defender Sara Gress all return.  Sandau was a honorable mention all-conference selection last year, while Ploskonka earned second team honors, while Ritter and Gress also were honorable mention picks. 

Seattle Pacific, a Final Four team from a year ago, was picked to win the league as a unanimous selection.  The Falcons are going for their sixth GNAC title in the past seven years.  SPU went a perfect 14-0 in league play last year and 23-1 overall, falling to the eventual national champion Franklin Pierce (NH) in the Final Four.

Western Washington finished 2007 with a 13-6-1 record and returns 19 letterwinners and six all-conference selections from a year ago.  The Vikings have seven returning starters, including GNAC Freshman of the Year Claire Morgan and first team selection Katie Warner. 

With 16 returners and eight newcomers, the Yellowjackets are poised to continue to climb the GNAC ladderin their second season in the league. 

MSUB opens the 2008 season with the Sixth Annual MSU Billings Cup presented by the Best Western Clocktower Inn, Aug. 28 at 3:30 p.m. against Dixie State at the newly renovated MSUB College of Technology Field.    

The Yellowjackets play nine of their first 11 matches at home.