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SMU chosen as Conference USA preseason women's soccer favorite
Kimber Bailey, Carly Phillips, Ashley Gunter named all-conference

IRVING, Texas – SMU has been selected by the league’s coaches as the preseason favorite to win the 2006 Conference USA Women’s Soccer Championship. Houston senior forward/midfielder Sophia Mundy was named the Preseason C-USA Offensive Player of the Year, and Rice junior defender Beth Martin was chosen as the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year.

The Mustangs are coming off their fifth consecutive NCAA appearance after earning a co-regular season C-USA championship. SMU compiled a 15-5-2 overall record last season and were led offensively by Kimber Bailey with 16 goals and nine assists. Bailey is joined on the preseason all-conference team with two other Mustangs, sophomore goalkeeper Ashley Gunter and sophomore defender Carley Phillips.

UCF, which earned C-USA regular season co-champion honors in 2005, was picked second in the coaches’ vote. The Golden Knights lose 2005 Defensive Player of the Year Courtney Baines, but preseason all-conference forward/midfielder Roberta Pelargio returns to guide the UCF offensive attack.

Defending C-USA Tournament champion Rice was chosen third, followed by Memphis in fourth. The Owls made their second straight NCAA Championship appearance in 2005, with Martin being joined by teammate Caitlin Robbins on the preseason all-conference squad. Memphis compiled a school-record 12 wins last season and have the services of the 2005 C-USA Offensive Player of the Year Shoko Mikami, who is one of only two seniors on the 2006 preseason squad.

UTEP, which also set a school record after compiling 20 wins last season, has been tabbed to finish fifth in the league this season. The Miners advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship in 2005 and have the experience of a pair of preseason all-conference players in juniors Brittany Popoff and Jami Tullius. UAB junior midifielder Jill Porto rounds out the preseason team, after tallying a team-high four game-winning goals last season.

The top eight finishers in the regular season earn a spot in the 2006 Conference USA Championship, hosted by SMU on November 1-5. The league’s 12th season kicks off Friday, August 25.



2006 C-USA PRESEASON AWARDS

C-USA PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sophia Mundy, Sr., F/MF, Houston (Katy, Texas)

C-USA PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Beth Martin, Jr., D, Rice (Austin, Texas)

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE USA TEAM
Sophia Mundy, Sr., F/MF, Houston (Katy, Texas)
Shoko Mikami, Sr., F, Memphis (Chiba, Japan)
Beth Martin, Jr., D, Rice (Austin, Texas)
Caitlin Robbins, So., F, Rice (Houston, Texas)
Kimber Bailey, Jr., F/MF, SMU (Garland, Texas)
Ashley Gunter, So., GK, SMU (Lancaster, Pa.)
Carley Phillips, So., D, SMU (Plano, Texas)
Jill Porto, Jr., MF, UAB (Woodbridge, Va.)
Roberta Pelarigo, Jr., F/MF, UCF (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Brittany Popoff, Jr., GK, UTEP (Westbank, B.C.)
Jami Tullius, Jr., F, UTEP (El Paso, Texas)

Look for a good year from Alyssa Pembroke comming back from injury.

Phillips should be Defensive Player of the Year. She got overshadowed by the Baileys, O'Rear and Lind up front last year, but she was outstanding in the back. She was the anchor of our defense last year.

Good Deal! Good luck to Lady Stang Soccer!

Ashley Gunter (GK) also is extremely underrated.

I think Olivia O'Rear had nagging injuries last year. I'm eager to see her at full speed with the Baileys up front this year.