University of Minnesota Athletics
Golden Gophers Land at #19 in Preseason Top-25
8/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Kansas City, Kans. - The University of Minnesota soccer team is gaining national recognition heading into the 2009 season. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) has tabbed the Golden Gophers at No. 19 in their preseason poll.
The honor comes after a season where Minnesota finished 22-4-0 and as one of the final 16 teams still playing in 2008. Minnesota ended the 2008 regular season ranked No. 21 and after the postseason jumped to No. 15.
This marks the seventh straight week that the Golden Gophers have been ranked, dating back to last season. This is the highest preseason ranking for Golden Gopher soccer, and 2009 also becomes the first time Minnesota will begin the season in the top-25 since the 1997 season when they opened up ranked No. 25. The only other time the Golden Gophers were ranked in the preseason was the 1995 season, where they started at No. 24 and went wire-to-wire in the top-25. In both 1995 and 1997, Minnesota went on to win the Big Ten championship.
Defending national champion North Carolina begins the season ranked No. 1, ahead of No. 2 Stanford, No. 3 Notre Dame, No. 4 Portland and No. 5 UCLA. The highest ranking Big Ten squad is Penn State, who sits at No. 12. The only other Big Ten team in the top-25 is Illinois, who comes in at No. 17.
Complete ranking
No. School, Prev., W-L-T
1. North Carolina, 1, 25-1-2
2. Stanford, 4, 22-2-1
3. Notre Dame, 2, 26-1-0
4. Portland, 5, 20-2-0
5. UCLA, 3, 22-1-2
6. Florida State, 6, 17-3-3
7. Texas A&M, 7, 18-5-1
8. USC, 8, 16-5-2
9. Virginia, 12, 15-5-3
10. Florida, 10, 19-4-1
11. Oklahoma State, 13, 18-1-4
12. Penn State, RV, 16-8-0
13. San Diego, 16, 15-5-2
14. West Virginia, 14, 14-3-6
15. Texas, 18, 13-4-4
16. Duke, 9, 15-6-3
17. Illinois, 23, 12-9-2
18. Georgia, NR, 11-11-1
19. Minnesota, 21, 22-4-0
20. Rutgers, 21, 13-7-2
21. Washington State, RV, 10-6-5
22. Santa Clara, NR, 4-12-4
23. Boston College, 15, 15-6-2
24. Missouri, 17, 16-5-2
25. BYU, 20, 16-5-1
Final 2008 Record and Ranking shown
Also receiving votes: James Madison, LSU, Tennessee, Calfornia, Marquette, Wake Forest, Colorado, Long Beach State, Harvard, Louisville
