Aug. 13, 2008

FRISCO, Texas - Nearly a year after splitting the Southland Conference championship with McNeese State, the Stephen F. Austin soccer team, on Wednesday, again found itself sharing with the Cowgirls. In preseason polling of league head coaches and sports information directors, each team received one nod for first place.

While both squads earned five first-place votes in the coaches' poll, McNeese edged SFA by a point, 74-73. The Ladyjacks are the clear favorite among sports information directors, claiming five first-place votes and a 10-point margin over UTSA, 76-66. Despite earning more first-place votes (3) than the Roadrunners, McNeese is pegged to finish third in the SID poll with 63 points.

UTSA is slated as the third-place team in the coaches' poll with 66 points. Northwestern State (59), Southeastern Louisiana (48), Texas State (41), Central Arkansas (35), Sam Houston State (26), Nicholls State (17) and Lamar (11) round out the projections by head coaches. In the SID poll, the projected last seven teams follow the same order with Texas State receiving a first-place vote.

SFA is coming off a 2007 season that saw the Ladyjacks claim a share of their fifth Southland Conference championship and reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003. SFA returns nine starters from that squad, including six 2007 All-SLC selections.

The Ladyjacks have finished in the top two of the SLC each of the last five seasons with three championships to their credit during that stretch. SFA opens the 2008 season with an exhibition at Oklahoma on Friday. The Ladyjacks will open the regular season on the road against TCU on Aug. 22.

-- SFA --