Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Ranked #22 By NSCAA
August 10, 2010 | Cowgirl Soccer
Aug. 10, 2010
NSCAA Preseason National Rankings in PDF Format
KANSAS CITY, Kan. - For the fourth-straight year, Oklahoma State is nationally ranked in the preseason polls as head coach Colin Carmichael's Cowgirls are No. 22 in the 2010 NSCAA Preseason National Rankings, which were released today.
OSU is one of just two Big 12 Conference teams in the preseason rankings; Texas A&M enters the season ranked No. 8. Defending national champion North Carolina is ranked No. 1, while one of the Cowgirls' week two opponents, Portland, is ranked fifth.
"To continue to be recognized by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America as one of the top teams in the nation going into the season is an indication that we have established our program on a national scale," Carmichael said. "We know preseason rankings don't necessarily equal success, but we'll continue to work hard to show that we are deserving of this type of recognition. Our goal is to be ranked as highly as possible when the final polls come out in December -- that will determine if our season has been a success.
"Our team is ready to take on this challenge and defend our conference championships and continue to make runs in the NCAA Tournament."
OSU is coming off a 15-7-2 season in which they won the Big 12 Soccer Championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship for the fourth consecutive season. The Cowgirls enter the 2010 season on a 10-game unbeaten streak.
Carmichael's squad returns eight starters from a year ago, including three All-Big 12 First Team performers in goalkeeper AD Franch, defender Melinda Mercado and midfielder Annika Niemeier.
OSU travels to Tulsa, Okla., Saturday for a preseason exhibition match against Oral Roberts before opening the regular season with a non-conference showdown against Bedlam-rival Oklahoma in Stillwater on Aug. 20.
