Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Soccer Picked To Finish Fourth In Big 12 Conference
August 13, 2007 | Cowgirl Soccer
STILLWATER, Okla. — Coming off the best season in program history, Oklahoma State's women's soccer team has been tabbed by the league coaches to finish fourth in the Big 12 Conference in 2007, it was announced by the conference office on Monday.
Texas A&M was picked to win the league, followed by Texas, Colorado and OSU. The Aggies received six of the 11 first-place votes from the conference's coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team. UT and Colorado each earned two first-place votes, while the Cowgirls garnered one first-place vote.
OSU finished second in the Big 12 standings in 2006 with an 8-1-1 mark. The Cowgirls were 17-3-3 overall, climbed to as high as No. 7 in the national rankings and earned the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament win.
“We don't put a lot of stock in the preseason predictions, but it is nice to be recognized as an improving team,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. “Last year, we were picked to finish seventh (in the Big 12) and we finished second so no one really knows what's going to happen.”
Carmichael's squad returns eight starters from last year's team, including All-American Yolanda Odenyo. The senior midfielder was the Big 12 Co-Player of the Year in 2006 after leading OSU in scoring with five goals and eight assists, and she is the lone Cowgirl on the 2007 Preseason All-Big 12 team, which was also voted on by the league coaches.
“Everybody in the Big 12 knows Yolanda is a special player, and people are becoming aware of that nationally as well,” Carmichael said. “We expect more of the same from her this year.”
Odenyo was one of 26 players who reported to the Cowgirls' first preseason practice on Monday. The Cowgirls have just 12 days before an exhibition game at TCU on Aug. 25, and they will open the season at home against New Mexico on Aug. 31.
“We have a strong group of players coming back and some good newcomers,” Carmichael said. “We're excited to get started. We really don't have enough time to prepare so you hope the girls worked hard in the summer.
“It looks like as a whole we're in pretty good shape now, and we're gonna spend the next two weeks getting game fit.”
2007 Big 12 Conference Soccer Preseason Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses; coaches not allowed to vote for their own team or players)
1. Texas A&M (6) 95
2. Texas (2) 91
3. Colorado (2) 81
4. Oklahoma State (1) 74
5. Kansas 65
6. Nebraska 57
7. Oklahoma 43
8. Missouri 41
9. Baylor 23
10. Texas Tech 21
11. Iowa State 14
2007 Preseason All-Big 12 Soccer Team
GK: Kristin Arnold, Texas A&M
D: Kasey Moore, Texas
D: Stephanie Logterman, Texas
D: Paige Carmichael, Texas A&M
MF: Yolanda Odenyo, Oklahoma State
MF: Caitlin Kennedy, Texas
MF: Amy Berend, Texas A&M
F: Nikki Marshall, Colorado
F: Aysha Jamani, Nebraska
F: Kelsey Carpenter, Texas
F: Ashlee Pistorius, Texas A&M
Texas A&M was picked to win the league, followed by Texas, Colorado and OSU. The Aggies received six of the 11 first-place votes from the conference's coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team. UT and Colorado each earned two first-place votes, while the Cowgirls garnered one first-place vote.
OSU finished second in the Big 12 standings in 2006 with an 8-1-1 mark. The Cowgirls were 17-3-3 overall, climbed to as high as No. 7 in the national rankings and earned the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament win.
“We don't put a lot of stock in the preseason predictions, but it is nice to be recognized as an improving team,” said OSU head coach Colin Carmichael. “Last year, we were picked to finish seventh (in the Big 12) and we finished second so no one really knows what's going to happen.”
Carmichael's squad returns eight starters from last year's team, including All-American Yolanda Odenyo. The senior midfielder was the Big 12 Co-Player of the Year in 2006 after leading OSU in scoring with five goals and eight assists, and she is the lone Cowgirl on the 2007 Preseason All-Big 12 team, which was also voted on by the league coaches.
“Everybody in the Big 12 knows Yolanda is a special player, and people are becoming aware of that nationally as well,” Carmichael said. “We expect more of the same from her this year.”
Odenyo was one of 26 players who reported to the Cowgirls' first preseason practice on Monday. The Cowgirls have just 12 days before an exhibition game at TCU on Aug. 25, and they will open the season at home against New Mexico on Aug. 31.
“We have a strong group of players coming back and some good newcomers,” Carmichael said. “We're excited to get started. We really don't have enough time to prepare so you hope the girls worked hard in the summer.
“It looks like as a whole we're in pretty good shape now, and we're gonna spend the next two weeks getting game fit.”
2007 Big 12 Conference Soccer Preseason Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses; coaches not allowed to vote for their own team or players)
1. Texas A&M (6) 95
2. Texas (2) 91
3. Colorado (2) 81
4. Oklahoma State (1) 74
5. Kansas 65
6. Nebraska 57
7. Oklahoma 43
8. Missouri 41
9. Baylor 23
10. Texas Tech 21
11. Iowa State 14
2007 Preseason All-Big 12 Soccer Team
GK: Kristin Arnold, Texas A&M
D: Kasey Moore, Texas
D: Stephanie Logterman, Texas
D: Paige Carmichael, Texas A&M
MF: Yolanda Odenyo, Oklahoma State
MF: Caitlin Kennedy, Texas
MF: Amy Berend, Texas A&M
F: Nikki Marshall, Colorado
F: Aysha Jamani, Nebraska
F: Kelsey Carpenter, Texas
F: Ashlee Pistorius, Texas A&M
Friday, June 05
Friday, May 29
Wednesday, May 27
Monday, May 18
