Women's Soccer Ranked 14th In Soccer Buzz Preseason Poll
8/21/2003 8:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 21, 2003
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland women's soccer team is ranked as high as No. 14 as two major polls in the sport have been released. The Terps are ranked No. 14 in the Soccer Buzz preseason poll and No. 23 in the NSCAA/adidas Coaches Poll.
Last season, the Terps were ranked for most of the season, peaking at No. 15 in the NSCAA poll in the final weeks of the regular season. Maryland finished 13-8-1 in 2002 and advanced to its seventh NCAA Tournament in the last eight years. The Terps reached the second round of the NCAA's before falling in a valiant battle to eventual NCAA Semifinalist Penn State, 2-1.
The Terps face seven teams ranked in the top 25 preseason polls: North Carolina, Penn State, Virginia, Florida State, Tennessee, Clemson, Duke. Overall, six of eight ACC schools are ranked in the preseason polls.
Maryland opens its season next Friday, Aug. 29 as they travel to the University of Washington in Seattle to play in the Arena Sports Pac-10/ACC Challenge. Maryland will play the host Huskies on Friday at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET). The Terps wrap up their trip to head coach Shannon Higgins-Cirovski's hometown with a game against the Washington State Cougars on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 11 a.m. PT (2 p.m. ET).
The Terps travel to William & Mary for a 4 p.m. match with the Tribe on Sept. 5 before returning home for their Ludwig Field debut against those rival Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
2003 Soccer Buzz Preseason Poll 1. Santa Clara (20-5-1) 2. North Carolina (21-2-4) 3. Stanford (21-2) 4. Texas (15-5-1) 5. Portland (20-4-2) 6. Notre Dame (13-8) 7. UCLA (18-4) 8. West Virginia (18-3-1) 9. Penn State (19-4-1) 10. Virginia (13-7-2) 11. Arizona State (12-7-2) 12. Florida State (13-7-3) 13. Tennessee (18-6-1) 14. MARYLAND (13-8-1) 15. Pepperdine (18-2-2) 16. Texas A&M (20-5-1) 17. Auburn (15-5-2) 18. Clemson (14-8) 19. Connecticut (21-3-1) 20. Nebraska (16-6-3) 21. USC (11-8-3) 22. California (12-8-1) 23. Villanova (14-3-4) 24. Duke (9-9-2) 25. Indiana (10-7-2) Receiving votes (alpha order): BYU (16-6), Charlotte (16-2-2), Florida (10-10-2), Mississippi (13-5-2), Richmond (15-6-2), SMU (13-6-4)
2003 NSCAA/adidas Preseason Poll
1. Santa Clara (20-5-1) 2t. North Carolina (21-2-4) 2t. Portland (20-4-2) 4. Stanford (21-2-0) 5. UCLA (18-4-0) 6. Texas A&M (20-5-1) 7. Penn State (19-4-1) 8. Connecticut (21-3-1) 9. Texas (15-5-1) 10. Notre Dame (13-8-0) 11. Virginia (13-7-2) 12. Nebraska (16-6-3) 13. Pepperdine (18-2-2) 14. Tennessee (18-6-1) 15. Florida State (13-7-3) 16. California (12-8-1) 17. Michigan (16-6-2) 18. West Virginia (18-3-1) 19. Southern California (11-8-3) 20. Clemson (14-7-0) 21. Florida (10-10-2) 22. Southern Methodist (13-6-4) 23. MARYLAND (13-8-1) 24. Brigham Young (16-6-0) 25. Purdue (14-5-3) Also receiving votes: Arizona State, Richmond, Charlotte, Indiana, Rutgers
