Greensboro College Men:
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Greensboro College has been picked to finish third in the USA South, according to a poll of conference coaches. Winners of three of the last four Conference Tournament titles, The Pride collected 26 points in the poll. GC returns 17 letterwinners and seven starters from last year’s 10-8-1 team.
N.C. Wesleyan College was picked in the preseason coaches’ poll to win the USA South Athletic Conference men’s soccer title in 2009. Last fall, the Bishops captured the program’s second USA South Tournament Championship. Additionally, NCWC will attempt to earn the Conference’s regular season crown for the fourth time in six seasons.
N.C. Wesleyan received four of seven first place votes (34 points) as head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting. The defending USA South Regular Season Champions, Christopher Newport University, finished a close second in the balloting with 32 points and the remaining three first place votes. Methodist University followed in fourth with 21 points. Shenandoah University, Ferrum College and Averett University rounded out the poll with 17, ten and seven points, respectfully.
The USA South Athletic Conference announced earlier this summer that the Southern Virginia Recreation Facilities Authority will host its 2009 Men’s and Women’s Soccer Tournament semifinals and finals. The contests will be held at the Smith River Sports Complex in Martinsville, Virginia on November 6 and 7. This will be the first of a two-year commitment as the 2010 semifinals and finals will also be held in Martinsville. The first round games of the tournaments will continue to be held on the campuses of the higher seeded team.
The GC men’s soccer regular season gets underway on Tuesday, September 1. Under the direction of first-year Head Coach Giovanni Vlahos, The Pride travels to play at Roanoke.
2009 USA South Coaches Poll
Rank Institution (1st place Votes) Pts.
1. N.C. Wesleyan (4) 34
2. Christopher Newport (3) 32
3. Greensboro 26
4. Methodist 21
5. Shenandoah 17
6. Ferrum 10
7. Averett 7
Greensboro College Women:
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Greensboro College was picked to place fourth of 10 teams in the USA South according to the preseason poll of coaches. The Pride returns seven starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s 8-8-3 club. GC totatled 54 points in the poll.
Meredith College was picked in the preseason coaches’ poll to win the USA South Athletic Conference women’s soccer title in 2009. The Avenging Angels are the defending USA South Tournament Champions. Last season’s tournament crown was the program and school’s first-ever Conference title. This fall, Meredith will attempt to improve on its second place regular season finish from a season ago.
Meredith received six of ten first place votes (77 points) as head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting. Christopher Newport University, the defending USA South Regular Season Champions, finished a close second in the balloting with 75 points and three first place votes. Following CNU, in third place, was Methodist University with 65 points and the remaining first place vote.
The USA South Athletic Conference announced earlier this summer that the Southern Virginia Recreation Facilities Authority will host its 2009 Men’s and Women’s Soccer Tournament semifinals and finals. The contests will be held at the Smith River Sports Complex in Martinsville, Virginia on November 6 and 7. This will be the first of a two-year commitment as the 2010 semifinals and finals will also be held in Martinsville. The first round games of the tournaments will continue to be held on the campuses of the higher seeded team.
The Pride, under the direction of second year Head Coach Ian Spooner, opens the year at Bridgewater on Sept. 5.
2009 USA South Coaches Poll
Rank Institution (1st place Votes) Pts.
1. Meredith (6) 77
2. Christopher Newport (3) 75
3. Methodist (1) 65
4. Greensboro 54
5. Shenandoah 48
6. N.C. Wesleyan 41
7. Ferrum 35
8. Averett 29
t-9. Mary Baldwin 13
t-9. Peace 13