LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Coaches from across the Mid-South Conference have tabbed the University of Rio Grande women's soccer team for a seventh place finish according to the 2012 preseason coaches' poll released by league officials.
The RedStorm, who finished 6-11 overall and 1-6 inside the conference last season, tallied 34 points in the balloting. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own squad.
The Lindsey Wilson College, which has captured at least a share of the conference's regular season title each of the last 12 seasons, topped the list by receiving 81 points and nine of the 10 first-place votes.
The Blue Raiders finished 19-1-2 overall and 7-0 in the MSC last season.
Georgetown College was second in the poll with 68 voting points and the final first-place vote, while Cumberland University - which begins its first season in the MSC as a full member since 2001 - was third in the poll with 58 points.
Campbellsville University (56), the University of the Cumberland (50) and Shawnee State University (44) were in front of Rio, taking positions 4-6, respectively.
The University of Pikeville (25), St. Catharine College (24) and Bluefield College (10) - who enters its first season in the MSC in 2012 - rounded out the poll.
Rio Grande returns its top two scorers in junior forward Alexandria Davis (Ashville, OH) and junior midfielder Mary Beth Schramm (Marietta, OH). Davis tied for second on the team with two goals and ranked second in points with five, while Schramm had a team-high three goals and six points.
Also back for second-year head coach Callum Morris is senior defender Vanessa Montgomery (Chillicothe, OH), an Honorable Mention All-MSC pick who also scored a pair of goals last season, and senior midfielder/forward Katie Fuller (Hamilton, OH), who had one goal and one assist.
The 2012 season begins later this month and concludes with the conference tournament beginning in early November at various campus sites. The tournament's semifinals and finals are scheduled for Nov. 7-8 at Lindsey Wilson in Columbia, Ky.
