Edited: Aug. 24, 2010

DENISON PREDICTED TO FINISH FIRST AS NCAC PREPARES FOR 27TH WOMEN'S SOCCER SEASON

Denison University was tabbed the preseason favorite in balloting by North Coast Athletic Conference women's soccer coaches in the preseason poll.

The Big Red, who are the defending NCAC regular season champions, earned seven of eight first-place votes from league coaches to compile 63 points, edging defending NCAC tournament champion Wittenberg (57). The Tigers collected the final first-place vote. Allegheny (42) narrowly edged out Ohio Wesleyan (41) for third-place in the poll, while Wooster (33), Kenyon (27), Hiram (15) and Oberlin (10) rounded out places five through eight.

Denison is 193-56-18 (.757) during the 13-year tenure of head coach Gail Murphy. The Big Red return 19 letterwinners and seven starters from last year's 16-4-2 squad that won the NCAC title and earned an NCAA tournament bid. Denison will be led by 2009 NCAC Offensive Player of the Year, senior forward Kim Oshita (Cincinnati, OH/Sycamore) and senior forward Jen Clemmer (Hixson, TN/The Baylor School). Oshita and Clemmer finished as the top two scorers in the NCAC last season, combining to score 60 points: Oshita (31 -- 15g, 1a) and Clemmer (29 -- 10g, 9a). Oshita's 15 goals were tops in the conference, while Clemmer's nine assists also led the league.

Founded in 1983, the North Coast Athletic Conference is made up of nine academically selective colleges and universities - Allegheny College, Denison University, Hiram College, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Wabash College, Wittenberg University and the College of Wooster, along with affiliate member, Earlham College (field hockey). DePauw University will join the North Coast beginning with the 2011-12 academic year. The NCAC sponsors 23 championship sports, 11 for men and 12 for women.

2010 NCAC Women's Soccer Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses, followed by total points)