Preseason Poll Has Cougars Ranked No. 22

Colorado Springs, Colo. (Aug. 11, 2010) – BYU’s women’s soccer team is ranked No. 22 in the 2010 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Preseason Top 25 Poll.

Last season, BYU earned its sixth all-time MWC regular-season championship by posting a 6-0-1 mark in conference play. The Cougars finished the 2009 campaign with an 18-4-2 record and made their 12th postseason appearance with an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the second round before losing to runner-up Stanford.

On this year’s team, eight starters and 14 letterwinners return, including all-MWC first-team selections Kassidy Shumway, McKinzie Olson and Carlee Payne, the 2009 MWC Freshman of the Year.

The Cougars finished the 2009 season ranked No. 20 in the final NSCAA poll.

This week soccer fans will have two opportunities to watch the ranked women’s squad. On Thurs. Aug 12, the annual Blue White game kicks off at 7 p.m. The team has an exhibition game on Sat., Aug. 14 in which several former Cougar all-american will be competing. That game start sat 7 p.m., on South Field. Both games are free.