For Immediate Release

August 29, 2006

Contact: John Czarnecki, Publicist

COACHES PICK ONEONTA TO WIN 2006 WOMEN’S SUNYAC TITLE

FREDONIA, N.Y. – The Oneonta women’s soccer team has been picked by the SUNYAC coaches to win their 8^th consecutive title.  Oneonta received 10 first place votes and 118 (of 121) total points.  Ranked 5^th in the NSCAA Preseason Poll, Oneonta will return six starters from last year’s team.  The Red Dragons ended their 2005 campaign in the NCAA Quarterfinals, falling to Tufts in penalty kicks.  Oneonta will look to add on to the nation’s longest conference winning streak of 84 games.

Cortland was voted to place second, receiving 108 votes.  Cortland finished in third place last season, compiling a 12-9 overall record (7-3 conference record).  The Red Dragons fell to Oneonta in the SUNYAC title game, after defeating the second seeded Geneseo Blue Knights. 

Geneseo, picked third by the coaches, will be returning their leading scorer and top defender from last season.  The Blue Knights finished 2^nd overall in the conference, and posted a 10-8-2 record (7-2-1 conference record).  Geneseo went on to play in the ECAC Upstate tournament, and made their way to the finals, where they fell to Nazareth to end the season. 

Conference play will begin on Wednesday, September 13^th.

2006 SUNYAC Women’s Pre-Season Poll

1. Oneonta (11)            118

2. Cortland                   108

3. Geneseo                   92

4. Fredonia (1)             89

5. Plattsburgh               83

6. Brockport                64

7. Oswego                   52

8. Buffalo State             44

9. New Paltz                43

10. Potsdam                 17

11. SUNYIT                16

(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)