Kats receive one first-place vote, picked 4th
8/10/2016 2:48:00 PM | Soccer
HUNTSVILLE – If preseason polls are any indication, the Southland Conference soccer season will be a tight race at the top. Sam Houston State expects to be right in the mix.
The Bearkats were picked fourth preseason with 97 points by the league's head coaches, one point behind Southeastern Louisiana and Abilene Christian, who were picked tied for second, the conference office announced Wednesday.
Sam Houston opened camp a week ago, welcoming 13 newcomers to a squad that made the league's tournament title game, falling short in penalty kicks. The Bearkats won 10 matches, the most in program history.
“I think in being able to get to the conference final, it provides them the confidence they can and should get there,” head coach Tom Brown said. “I think those players returning have commented that the incoming group of freshmen and transfers is the best we've ever had. I think they have gained a lot of confidence from the success late last year and are eager to get back to the point and hopefully have that opportunity again.”
The Bearkats did receive one first-place vote by the coaches, although the sentiment is clear that where the squad is picked preseason has no indication or where they will ultimately finish.
“The polls at this point, don't mean anything,” Brown said. “No sports information director or head coaches opinion can change what we're going to do on the field. It's only about what we do when we get out to compete. Whether they think we're going to finish first or last, their opinions don't matter.”
On Tuesday, seniors Allie Johnson and Megan Bennett were named Second-Team Preseason All-Southland Conference. The Bearkats will host Houston in exhibition play on Friday from Pritchett Field. First touch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The squad will open regular-season action on Aug. 19 at Alabama before returning home two days later to face UTSA.
“I think camp has been good,” Brown said. “It has been a lot of trying to improve aspects of our team. We really haven't spent a lot of time focusing on how we want to play versus how we want to play and improving our abilities. We'll obviously start moving towards that as we get closer to Friday's scrimmage.”
Coaches' Poll |
|
|
Team |
Points |
|
1. Stephen F. Austin (9) |
118 |
|
T2. Southeastern La. (1) |
98 |
|
T2. Abilene Christian (1) |
98 |
|
4. Sam Houston State (1) |
97 |
|
5. Houston Baptist |
93 |
|
6. Central Arkansas |
61 |
|
7. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
51 |
|
8. Lamar |
47 |
|
9. Northwestern State |
39 |
|
10. McNeese |
38 |
|
11. Nicholls |
31 |
|
12. UIW |
21 |
