Mustang women tabbed third in LSC Soccer Poll

RICHARDSON, Texas -- Midwestern State University was chosen third as Central Oklahoma remained the team to beat when it comes to Lone Star Conference women's soccer.UCO hasbeen picked as the odds-on favorite yet again, according to the league's 2006 preseason poll.

UCO, which claimed last year's regular-season LSC crown with an 8-0-1 conference record, has finished atop the LSC standings four times in the past six seasons, with the Bronchos also being runners-up twice in that stretch. UCO has an all-time 50-13-3 record in LSC games since starting its program in 1998.

The Bronchos received 18 first-place votes among the 19 ballots that were cast by the league's head coaches and sports information directors and various media representatives. UCO tallied 189 total points in the preseason poll to finish comfortably ahead of its conference rivals.

West Texas A&M was second with 163 points, while Midwestern Stat was third with 143 and Texas A&M-Commerce fourth with 142. Angelo State finished fifth with 106 points, followed by Texas Woman's 98, Eastern New Mexico 75, Northeastern State 65, Southwestern Oklahoma 37 and East Central 33.

Texas A&M-Commerce, which finished atop the regular-season standings in 2003 and won the LSC Tournament title in 2004, received a first-place vote on one ballot to prevent UCO from being a unanimous choice.

The 2006 soccer season is set to begin in late August. Each of the 10 LSC teams will meet the other nine once during the regular season, with the outcome of those contests to be used in determining the seeds for a six-team postseason conference tournament. This year's tournament will be played in Edmond, Okla., on Oct. 26-29.

Here's a complete look at the LSC Preseason Poll for women's soccer in 2006:

Rank Team (First-place votes) Total

1. Central Oklahoma (18) 189

2. West Texas A&M 163

3. Midwestern State 143

4. Texas A&M-Commerce (1) 142

5. Angelo State 106

6. Texas Woman's 98

7. Eastern New Mexico 75

8. Northeastern State 65

9. Southwestern Oklahoma 37

10. East Central 33