DEFENDING DIVISION II CHAMPION Metro State has been ranked first in the Pre-Season poll sponsored by the NSCAA and adidas. The Roadrunners finished last year 24-2 and are predicted to win the RMAC again this season. They are returning All-American Rachel Zollner who was named the preseason RMAC Defensive Player of the Year. Zollner, defensive All-American Nicole Cito and Jessica Brown were named to the preseason all-RMAC team. Second in the poll is last year’s D2 runner-up Grand Valley State. The Lakers finished 19-2-1 losing a 1-0 heartbreaker in the Championship match. They will be led this season by junior All-American Katy Taflor who had a record-setting season being named GLIAC Player of the Year, to the All-Region team for the second consecutive year and the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Tafler led the nation and set school single-season records in scoring with 33 goals (1.50 per game) and points with 73 (3.32 per game). At the third position in the poll sits 2006 semi-finalist West Chester from the PSAC. The Golden Rams will have their third coach in three years as Kempf Townsley , former DI Seton Hall coach, replaces Gerry Lucey who returned to Tampa. WCU lost several key seniors but will be led by junior All-American goalkeeper Hilary Smart who made 54 saves and allowed only 13 goals last season. Smart recorded 5 shutouts in her 21 wins for the Golden Rams, and led the PSAC with a 0.61 goals against average.

Tampa is ranked fourth and returns All-Americans Shannon Aitken and Shelby Kuni. Aitken returns for her senior campaign after registering a 0.63 GAA with 11 shutouts as a junior. Kuni scored a UT record 26 goals last year, seven of which were game winners. The junior enters the season with 39 career goals and remains on pace to break the school’s career record in the category. The Top 5 is rounded out by UC San Diego. The Tritons are coming off a season in which they posted a 20-2-2 record and qualified for the national quarterfinals. Leading the way this year will be seniors Kathy Sepulveda and Ali Lai. The duo combined for 19 goals and six assists last year. Senior Caitlin Ryan will anchor the midfield while senior defender Alie Avina will help secure the back line. Junior goalkeeper Jessica McGovern returns after a season in which she allowed only 11 goals in over 2,100 minutes of action for a 0.47 goals-against average. The remainder of the Top 10 include Nebraska-Omaha, Franklin Pierce, Tusculum, Carson-Newman and St. Edward’s.