Two Road Contests With First-time Opponents Florida and Marquette Are Up Next For BYU's Women's Soccer Team

After a late second half surge to give the homestanding Cougars a 4-1 victory over the University of San Diego at home, the BYU women depart on their third road trip to take on first-time opponents Florida, Sept. 18 and Marquette, Sept. 22. On the 23rd they will take on Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Cougars Are Picked To Repeat as MWC Champions

BYU was selected as the favorite to capture its second straight conference title in a vote by the league's coaches.

Place Team (1st place votes) Points

1. BYU (5) 35

2. Utah (1) 31

3. San Diego State (1) 27

4. Air Force 21

5. New Mexico 14

6. UNLV 13

7. Wyoming 6

BYU vs Florida On The Sunshine Network

The first meeting between the Gators and Cougars on Monday, Sept. 18, will air tape-delayed at 6 p.m. MDT, on the Sunshine Network. Mick Hubert will call the action with Heather Mitts as the color analyst.

BYU In National Polls

• 18th in Soccer Times (as of 9/11/00)

2000 Season Highlights

• Record:5-2-0

• Opened home season with 7-1 win over Weber State

• First Road trip - compiled a 1-1 record with a disappointing 1-0 loss to Washington, rebounding in a 4-2 victory over Montana

• Senior Michelle Jensen Peterson leads the team in scoring with eight goals and three assists for her 19 points. Peterson was named MWC Player of the Week on Sept. 5 and on Sept. 11. In the Creighton win on September 6, she tallied the first hat trick of the year for her and the team.

• Freshman All-America Aleisha Cramer tallied her first collegiate goal for the Cougars, a minute and a half into the Weber State game. In that game, she picked up two goals and an assist.

• Sophomore goalie Kylee Dickson got her first start of the year against Washington State on September 4. She was credited with her first shutout of the season as well in the 3-0 BYU home victory.

BYU Returning Starters To Watch - 2000 Stats

• 13 Michelle Jensen Peterson - MF/F, Sr (8G, 3A, 19PTS, 21SH)

• 15 Kim Lowe - MF, Sr (2G, 7A, 11PTS, 25SH)

• 12 Sara Reading - F/MF, Sr (4G, 1A, 9PTS, 32SH)

• 18 Jeni Willardson - F, So (2G, 1A, 5PTS, 11SH)

BYU Newcomers To Watch - 2000 Stats

• 17 Aleisha Cramer - MF, Fr (2G, 5A, 9PTS, 20SH)

• 14 Annie Hoecherl - 5-10 D, Fr (Played in six games, has one goal for her two points to date)

Cougar 2000 Quickie Stats

• Averaging 25.6 shots on goal per game

• Averaging 3.6 goals per game

• Average 3.4 assists per game

• Picking up6.3 corner kicks a game

BYU vs Florida Notes

The University of Florida is currently 3-4-0 on the year with a loss against Texas A&M and a 2-1 overtime victory over 10th ranked USC in Gainesville on Sept. 15. The Gators have eight starters returning in 2000. Andrea Sellers, a 5-7 junior forward currently leads the team in scoring with 14 points from five goals and four assists. Karyn Hall follows with three goals and two assists for her eight points. Florida averages 11.6 shots on goal, 2, 3 goals and 4.8 corner kicks a game.

Series Against Florida

Record: 0-0, first-time contest

BYU vs Marquette Notes

The Golden Eagles are members of the Conference USA, and finished the 1999 season with a 16-7-2 record, 8-1 at home. Seven starters are back in 2000 highlighted by senior co-captain Mo Bothwell, one of the best goalies in the conference. Another senior on the squad, midfielder Melissa Moffatt is back for her final year after tallying two goals and four assists as a junior.

Series Against Marquette

Record: 0-0, first meeting

Coach Jennifer Rockwood Quotes

(On the Cougars) We are playing great soccer right now and I'm proud of our total team effort. I think we played probably our best soccer so far against Portland, and it was a disappointment for us to not get that win. We need to finish the scoring opportunities we're creating.

(On Florida and Marquette) We are very excited to be able to play a team like Florida. They're an extremely good, strong and well respected and they have a great playing facility. They have a great team this year and have had an extremely tough schedule so far. Marquette is a team we don't know a lot about, but they've gotten off to a great start. We're pleased to get a change to play these ranked programs.

The Rockwood File

Jennifer Rockwood begins her sixth season at the helm of BYU's women's soccer program. In the five year history of the Division I program, she has guided her team to two conference championships and three straight appearances in the NCAA Championships beginning with the 1997 season. The Cougars highest finish in the NCAA tourney came in 1998 when BYU finished in the "Sweet Sixteen." Her many honors include being named Coach of the Year by the Western Athletic Conference and by Soccer Buzz in 1996.

Prior to becoming the head coach, Rockwood led BYU's highly successful club soccer team, for seven years and compiled a 128-25-9 record. In her final two years, she took her teams to first place in the Western National Collegiate Club Soccer Association (NCCSA) championships and to second place in the NCCSA national championships.

A native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Rockwood was a three-sport athlete and was awarded all-league and all-state honors in soccer, basketball, and track. During her high school and collegiate years, she competed in the Olympic Development Program in both Oregon and Utah. Rockwood attended Ricks College on an academic and basketball scholarship for one year and then transferred to BYU, graduating in 1989 with a business administration degree. While at BYU, she played on the soccer club team as a four-year starter at center midfield.

Rockwood coached in the Utah Olympic Development Program and has coached at the youth club and high school levels. She is also currently the director of BYU summer soccer camps which recently put through over 1,400 participants.

Rockwood's Record (11 Years at BYU)

Club team/years: 128-25-9/7

Division I/years: 98-24-1/6

1995 Record: 11-8-1

1996 Record: 22-1-0

1997 Record: 19-4-0

1998 Record: 20-5-0

1999 Record: 21-4-0

2000 Record: 5-2-0

BYU On The Road

While in Gainesville, the women's soccer team will be staying at the University Center Hotel, 1535 SW Archer Road, 352-371-3333, 352-371-3712 fax. They will fly into Jacksonville via Atlanta, and then drive to Gainesville. On their trip to Milwaukee, the team will be at the Park East Hotel, 916 East State Street, 414-276-8800, 414-765-1919, fax.

Up Next For The Cougars

After their trip to Milwaukee, the team returns home to host USC and Arizona State on Sept, 28 and 30, both at 7:00 p.m., on South Field.