BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Ouachita Baptist has been picked to finish seventh overall in the 2010 Gulf South Conference Preseason Women’s Soccer Coaches Poll, conference officials announced on Wednesday.
The Lady Tigers also were honored with a pair of players named to the 2010 Top Newcomers list in sophomore Lauren Hatch (Mesquite, Texas) and incoming freshman Jessica Allen (Reno, NV).
Ouachita returns 10 of 11 starters from last season, as well as a talented incoming freshmen class that will push for immediate playing time. The Lady Tigers finished 5-8-1 overall, including a 2-4-1 conference mark, as the Lady Tigers were tied for fifth overall with West Georgia in 2009. Among the top offensive threats from last season, the top eight scorers return for action in 2010, including junior leading scorer Beth Wendl, who finished with 11 goals and 25 points, good enough for sixth in the conference in both categories. Also returning will be the primary goalkeeper in senior Whitley Hoppe, who recorded 49 saves in 13 matches. On the offensive end, Ouachita was successful compared to their GSC opponents, ranking third in points, goals, goals per game, assists and assists per game.
“We definitely have a tough road ahead of us this season with great competition in the GSC and making the conference tournament is one of our goals,” Ouachita Head Coach Alex Denning said. “Over the past two years we have gotten much stronger, and while we are still young, we now have some upperclassmen that have significant playing time which is very important for our success. This team has great potential and I expect another step forward for the OBU Soccer Program”.
West Florida was chosen by conferences coaches to repeat as the overall GSC champion with 48 points, followed by North Alabama (42), Christian Brothers (37), Harding (31), West Georgia (23), Alabama-Huntsville (21), Ouachita (12) and Delta State (10).
The Lady Tigers begin the 2010 season with a non-conference matchup on Sept. 4 at Texas-Wesleyan in Fort Worth at 12 p.m.
