Utah State Soccer Picked Second in WAC Preseason Poll

Heading in to its final season in the Western Athletic Conference, the Utah State [University] soccer team was picked second in the WAC preseason poll, selected by the conference's nine coaches and announced by the league office Tuesday [July 31].

WAC newcomer Denver was picked atop the poll with six first-place votes for 62 points. The Aggies were second with the remaining three first-place votes for 59 total points. Utah State has won three of the last four WAC regular-season titles, including winning a share of the 2010 title.

Fellow league newcomer Seattle was picked third with 47 points, followed by San Jose State in fourth with 38. Idaho was voted fifth with 32 points just ahead of newcomers UTSA and Texas State, who were tied for sixth with 27 points apiece. Rounding out the poll is New Mexico State in eighth place with 19 points and Louisiana Tech in ninth with 13.

Utah State was picked sixth in the 2005 preseason poll, the Aggies' first year in the WAC, fourth in 2006 and third in both the 2007 and 2008 preseason prognostications. In the 2009, 2010 and 2011 polls, USU was picked first. Last season, the Aggies and the San Jose State tied for the top spot in the preseason poll.

Senior Natalie Norris was named the WAC's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. She has earned the postseason honor in both 2010 and 2011. For the second-straight season, Idaho senior forward Chelsea Small garnered Preseason Offensive Player of the Year honors. Idaho and Denver each had three honorees, while Utah State had two named to the preseason all-WAC team. San Jose State, Seattle and UTSA each had one representative.

Utah State placed two players on the preseason all-WAC team with junior midfielder Kendra Pemberton joining Norris earning honors. Both Norris and Pemberton earned first-team all-WAC honors last season. Norris was part of the Utah State defense that allowed only three goals in WAC play last season. Her 64 career matches started are the most by any player in the WAC this season. Pemberton was second on the team in scoring by netting seven goals along with school-record nine assists for 23 points.

The Aggies return 12 letterwinners and seven starters from last year's team that finished 15-5-2 and captured their first WAC Tournament title, while reaching their first NCAA Tournament. USU brings back three seniors in Norris, defender Kami Montgomery and goalkeeper Ashlyn Mulford.

USU opens the 2012 campaign against in-state rival Utah at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, Friday, Aug. 17, at 7 p.m.

Fans can follow USU soccer on Twitter and Utah State athletics on Twitter as well.

2012 Coaches' Poll

Team	1st place votes	Points
1. Denver	(6)	62
2. Utah State	(3)	59
3. Seattle		47
4. San Jose State		38
5. Idaho		32
T-6. UTSA		27
T-6. Texas State		27
8. New Mexico State		19
9. Louisiana Tech		13