Women's soccer team picked to finish 2nd in A-10

Released by Charlotte's Sports Information office today:

The Charlotte 49ers women’s soccer team, which captured the 2006 Atlantic 10 regular season title, has been picked to finish second in the preseason A-10 poll which was voted on by league’s 14 head coaches.

Saint Louis, the defending A-10 tournament champions, were picked first. Charlotte, Dayton, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Fordham round out the top six teams in the preseason poll. The 49ers are hosting the six-team Atlantic 10 Tournament at Transamerica Field, Nov. 8-11.

Last season, the 49ers won 13 games including a school-record tying eight Atlantic 10 wins. The 49ers posted an unbeaten 7-0-2 record at Transamerica Field in 2006. The 49ers finished the 2006 regular season with six straight conference wins.

Charlotte welcomes back nine starters and 16 letterwinners from last season led by seniors Brittany Dorsch, Sara Jane Harris, Nikki Labuda, Rachel Mees, Lindsey Ozimek and Ashley Rex. Labuda, a preseason All-Atlantic 10 selection, led the 49ers with nine goals last season. Mees finished second on the team in goals with six and led the team in assists with seven. Ozimek, a preseason All-Atlantic 10 selection, enters the season tied for first in the program’s history with 30 career assists.

Dorsch, Harris, Labuda, Mees, Ozimek, Rex and the rest of the 49ers team open the 2007 season against The Citadel at Transamerica Field, Friday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m.

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