Canada West Women's Soccer Poll and Preview

2010-11 Canada West Media Release
Thursday, September 9, 2010

Trinity Western #1 in Women’s Conference Soccer poll

EDMONTON – The Trinity Western Spartan women top the 2010 Canada West conference soccer poll recently conducted among coaches across the league.

Unlike the very split vote on the men’s side, women’s coaches decided unanimously that the two-time defending CIS champion Trinity Western Spartans were the early-season favourite to repeat as conference champions, while #2 Victoria received the other first-place vote.

Here are the complete WOMEN’S voting results, based on an 8-7-6-5-4-3-2 system (first-place votes in parenthesis):

1. Trinity Western         90 (9)
2. Victoria                    78 (1)
3. UBC                        78
4. Alberta                    66
5. Calgary                   54
6. Fraser Valley            46
7. Manitoba                 43
8. Saskatchewan          38
9. Lethbridge               24
10. Regina                  23

A unanimous choice as top women’s soccer team in Canada West and ranked #1 in the recent CIS poll, Trinity Western Spartans are clearly the team to beat. Defending conference titlists and two-time defending national champions, the Spartans have back the entire list of stars, including 2008 Canada West Player of the Year Nikki Wright, FISU member Melissa Mobilio, 2009 Rookie of the Year Alicia Tesan and 2008 CIS tournament MVP forward Daniela Gerig.

Placing second in the 2010 preseason poll are the Victoria Vikes, which see challenges with the departure of Player of the Year Kendra Flock and fellow All-Canadian Jackie Snell. Keeper Stephanie Parker, defender Shayla Behrens and midfielder Sarah Clark are all returning All-Stars who will keep the Vikes as top contenders for 2010.

The UBC Thunderbirds were CIS bronze medalists in 2009 and have young stars expected to make an impact once again. Gone are All-Canadians Jaclyn Dunnett and Chelsea Stang, along with All-Star Kelly Isberg. Leading scorer Janine Frazao scored 10 times in 2009, eight of them in one weekend. Caitlin Davie and Jessica Briker are also key to this season’s success.

Fourth in the regular season and bronze medalists at the Canada West tournament, the 2009 Alberta Pandas fell just short of reaching the CIS championship. All-Star Keshia Wallin, top scorers Heather Lund (7 goals) and Amanda Black (5 goals) are back and hoping to push Alberta to the next level. There are gaps to fill with veteran All-Stars Veronique Mayer and Lyndsay Stewart no longer on the roster.

The fifth-ranked Calgary Dinos narrowly missed the 2009 post-season and aim to grab a playoff spot this time around with the like of forward Morena Ianniello, forward Tessa Miller and midfielder Lindsay Burrowes, who combined for 12 goals last season, all returning. Top goal-scorer Katie Blundell, who counted for one-third of the team’s offence, will be difficult to replace.

Points leader Ellen Kuyer returns for the #6 Fraser Valley Cascades, which look to improve on a seventh-place finish last season. With veteran goalkeeper Chantelle Biagioni and defender Lyndsay Munro back to lead, the Cascades hope to nullify the loss of six-goal scorer Kristen Vanderpauw.

Ranked #7 in Canada West, the Manitoba Bisons will have a much different look on and off the pitch in 2010. Gone from the roster are All-Canadian Desiree Scott, All-Stars Caley Miskimmin and Dana Baker, along with Stephanie Rurak, Jennifer Campbell and even head coach Walt McKee. Back to compete for another season are Meagan Smith, Paula Fast, Alison Kastner and others.

Sitting at #8 in the preseason coaches’ poll are the Saskatchewan Huskies, which may be poised to move up with the return of All-Star midfielder Daniela Fuenzalida, striker Elizabeth Hudon, who scored nine goals in 2009, midfielder Jamie LeMay and defender Maria Rogal. The Huskies finished eighth in 2009 with a 5-8-1 record.

At #9, the Lethbridge Pronghorns will have just six of 12 players back for 2010, including defender Amy Schweitzer, midfielder Andrea Nippard and midfielder Janelle Groten. Head coach Ilsa Wong has added a host of recruits who she hopes will develop and have an impact on results in the season ahead.

Finishing #10 in preseason women’s soccer voting are the Regina Cougars, who look to top scorer, midfielder Meagan Cormier, solid goalkeeper Michelle Anderson and forward Tegan Koroluk to make a move up the ladder in the ever-tough Canada West conference.


David Bandla, Communications
Canada West Athletics                                
www.canadawest.org
(780) 266-WEST
on Twitter “cwuaa”


About Canada West Universities Athletic Association
Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), winning at least 10 CIS national titles every year since 1997-98. Comprised of 14 schools, from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, the CWUAA produces numerous major award winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with many going on to athletic success around the globe in pro leagues or events such as the Olympics, Paralympics or Universiade Games. For more information, visit www.canadawest.org; follow “cwuaa” on Twitter.

A proud member of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).

Last Updated: 2010-09-09
Author: Scott Stewart