49ers women picked to repeat as soccer champs

The Charlotte 49ers, the reigning Atlantic 10 women's soccer champions, have been selected to repeat as conference champions in voting by the league's coaches.

The 49ers tied a school-record with 16 wins as they captured the 2007 regular-season title, their first conference tournament championship, and earned the third NCAA tournament berth in program history. Junior goalkeeper Lauren Brown, a second team All-A-10 selection last season, is one of eight starters and 19 returning letterwinners for Charlotte.

"We are honored that the coaches in this league think highly of our program,” said Charlotte coach Jonathan Lipsitz. “That said, preseason voting means absolutely nothing until we roll the ball out on the field and start working towards that goal."

Five-time champion Dayton was picked second, followed by Saint Louis, which claimed A-10 championships in 2005 and 2006. The six-team A-10 tournament will be held Nov. 6-9 at Saint Louis' Hermann Stadium.

2008 Predicted Order Of Finish
1. Charlotte
2. Dayton
3. Saint Louis
4. Rhode Island
5. Fordham
6. Richmond
7. Duquesne
8. La Salle
9. Massachusetts
10. George Washington
11. Xavier
12. St. Bonaventure
13. Temple
14. Saint Joseph’s