Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Picked Fourth, Three Named All-Big 12
August 11, 2010 | Cowgirl Soccer
Aug. 11, 2010
IRVING, Texas - For the second year in a row, Oklahoma State has been picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 Conference soccer race while also placing three players on the preseason All-Big 12 team.
The preseason poll and All-Big 12 team, which were released today by the conference office, is voted on by the league's head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team or players.
OSU is coming off a 15-7-2 season in which the Cowgirls finished 5-5-0 in league play before going on to win the Big 12 Soccer Championship as the tourney's No. 5 seed. The tournament win gave coach Colin Carmichael's squad its second-straight conference championship as OSU won the 2008 regular season title.
The Cowgirls return eight starters in 2010, led by goalkeeper AD Franch, defender Melinda Mercado and midfielder Annika Niemeier. Each of those three players was named to the 2010 Preseason All-Big 12 Team after all three earned All-Big 12 First Team honors a year ago.
Niemeier led OSU with 11 goals last season, including a Big 12-best seven game winners. The German native enters her senior season among the Cowgirls' all-time leaders in goals, assists and points.
Mercado was a key part of an OSU defense that set school records with 14 shutouts and a 0.65 goals against average in 2009. A junior, Mercado has started 46 games in her first two seasons in Stillwater and recorded three goals and two assists.
Franch is coming off a standout freshman season in which she set school records with 11 shutouts and a 0.61 goals against average, totals which also led the Big 12 in '09. She recorded 75 saves and also had a Big 12-best .843 save percentage.
OSU's three preseason All-Big 12 picks is tied with Texas A&M for the most in the league. The Aggies are also the favorite to win the league crown in 2010 as they tallied eight first-place votes from the coaches and 95 total points.
Following Texas A&M in the preseason poll is Nebraska, while defending regular-season champion Missouri earned the third spot. Both NU and Mizzou earned one first-place vote. Only six points separated Nebraska, Missouri and Oklahoma State in the voting.
2010 BIG 12 SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
(First place votes in parentheses; Coaches not allowed to vote for own team or players)
Rank School Points
1. Texas A&M (8) 95
2. Nebraska (1) 73
3. Missouri (1) 69
4. Oklahoma State (1) 68
5. Texas 67
6. Texas Tech 61
7. Colorado 54
8. Kansas 45
9. Baylor 29
10. Oklahoma 28
11. Iowa State 16
2010 PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 SOCCER TEAM
*Unanimous selection (coaches cannot vote for own player; received votes from 10 remaining coaches)
Pos. Athlete School Year Hometown
GK Adrianna Franch Oklahoma State So. Salina, Kan.
D Erica Campanelli Texas Sr. Plano, Texas
D Melinda Mercado Oklahoma State Jr. Sapulpa, Okla.
D Bri Young Texas A&M Jr. Castle Pines North, Colo.
MF Taylor Lytle Texas Tech Jr. Las Cruces, N.M.
MF Annika Niemeier Oklahoma State Sr. Willingen-Usseln, Germany
MF Rachel Shipley* Texas A&M Sr. Plano, Texas
F Alysha Bonnick Missouri Sr. North Gower, Ontario
F Whitney Hooper Texas A&M Sr. Houston, Texas
F Morgan Marlborough Nebraska So. Lee Summit, Mo.
F Whitney Palmer Oklahoma Sr. Plano, Texas
