Norris Named to Conference USA Preseason Soccer Team
August 17, 2007 | Soccer
Aug. 17, 2007
IRVING, Texas - Defending regular-season champion SMU has been selected by the league's coaches as the preseason favorite to be the Conference USA Women's Soccer Champion in 2007. Colorado College sophomore forward Emily Beans and teammate Molly Uyenishi, a junior defender, were named the Preseason C-USA Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.
The Mustangs are coming off their sixth consecutive NCAA appearance, where they advanced to the second round. SMU compiled a 17-5-1 overall record last season and earned the 2006 C-USA regular season championship. The Mustangs placed the most players on the conference preseason team as junior goalkeeper Ashley Gunter - a 2006 All-America second team selection - along with senior Kimber Bailey and junior Carley Phillips were all recognized by the coaches.
UCF, which placed second last year, was also picked second in the coaches' preseason vote. Although the Knights lose all-conference first teamer Roberta Pelargio to graduation, they have a young, talented team. Sophomore defender Nikki Moore and junior midfielder Hanna Wilde represent the Knights on the preseason all-conference squad.
With Beans and Uyenishi, Colorado College was chosen third by the coaches. The Tigers were runners-up in their inaugural C-USA Championship last season and earned an at-large berth to the 2006 NCAA Championships with a 15-6-1 record.
UTEP was selected fourth, followed by Memphis in fifth. The Miners enter the 2007 season on a 11-match home win streak and will rely on sophomore forward Anoop Josan, a preseason all-conference selection. Josan led the conference in assists last season with 14 and tied for third nationally as a freshman.
The 2006 C-USA Newcomer of the Year Maiko Higashiyama will lead Memphis in the 2007 campaign. Higashiyama, UAB senior forward Sally Palmer, along with defenders Beth Martin of Rice and Kat Norris of East Carolina, round out the preseason team, which consists of 12 members due to a tie in the balloting.
The top eight teams in the regular season earn a spot in the 2007 Conference USA Championship, hosted by UTEP on November 7-11 in El Paso, Texas. The league's 13th season kicks off Friday, August 31.
2007 C-USA PRESEASON AWARDS
C-USA PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Emily Beans, So., F/MF, Colorado College (Griffith, Ind.)
C-USA PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Molly Uyenishi, Jr., D, Colorado College (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.)
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE USA TEAM
Kimber Bailey, Sr., D/MF, SMU (Garland, Texas)
Emily Beans, So., F/MF, Colorado College (Griffith, Ind.)
Ashley Gunter, Jr., GK, SMU (Lancaster, Pa.)
Maiko Higashiyama, Jr., D, Memphis (Tokyo, Japan)
Anoop Josan, So., F, UTEP (Edmonton, Alberta)
Beth Martin, Sr., D, Rice (Austin, Texas)
Nikki Moore, So., D, UCF (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Kat Norris, Sr., D, East Carolina (Houston, Texas)
Sally Palmer, Sr., F, UAB (Tyler, Texas)
Carley Phillips, Jr., D, SMU (Plano, Texas)
Molly Uyenishi, Jr., D, Colorado College (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.)
Hanna Wilde, Jr., MF, UCF (Westlake, Ohio)
