08/26/07

The Saints -- owners of a three year, 28 game regular season unbeaten streak in the UMAC -- have been labeled the team to beat in 2007 following the conference's release of the preseason coaches poll.

St. Scholastica nabbed the top spot with 47 points followed closely by UM-Morris, the team that defeated the Saints in the conference tournament finale last November, who accumulated 45 points. With five first place votes for the Saints and three for Morris, both teams easily outpaced the preseason third place team, Northwestern, who totaled 32 points in the poll.

The Saints have brought in 12 newcomers to join their star-studded lineup that includes:

• returning All-UMAC First Team performers Becky Fisher (D, Sr.), Robin Johnson (F, Jr.), and Courtney McKenzie (D, So.)
• Honorable mention all-conference senior goalkeeper Kelly Momsen who has a 0.52 career goals against average and has recorded 14 shutouts, five shy of the program record
• Experienced midfielder (64 starts in three seasons) and 2006 honorable mention all-conference honoree Shannon Kresky who is 15th on the program's all-time points list,
• Two-year captain and senior defender Dani Determan who has also picked up 64 starts, and
• The 2006 UMAC Player of the Year in Johnson who led the team in scoring last season and ranks eighth on the Saints' all-time points list after only two seasons.

The Saints open their 2007 schedule by hosting the Advantage Emblem Cup where they will open the season against St. Kate's on Friday, Aug. 31, at Saints Alumni Field on the CSS campus.

 Official UMAC Press Release with complete poll results (PDF)