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LMU SOCCER NEWS |
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LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF SPORTS INFORMATION Sports Release August 8, 2007 Railsplitters Picked Preseason To Capture SAC Men’s Soccer Title In First Season Of Conference Eligibility HARROGATE, TN – The Lincoln Memorial University men’s soccer team, which advanced to the NCAA Division II men’s soccer semifinals last season, is the preseason favorite to win the 2007 South Atlantic Conference championship in a poll taken of the league coaches recently. Lincoln Memorial received five first-place votes and 61 total points in the voting. The Railsplitters finished 15-2-3 last season and were NCAA Division II Appalachian Region Champions, won their Elite-8 match and earned a trip to the Final Four in Pensacola Florida but were not eligible for the conference championship due to scholarship restrictions with the South Atlantic Conference. Lenoir-Rhyne College (3 first place votes), was picked to finish second this year, followed by Carson-Newman College, Catawba College, Wingate University, Tusculum College, Newberry College and Mars Hill College. This season the Railsplitters return nine starters from last year’s squad which made a run at the national title, including five who were named to the preseason All-Conference team, which was also officially released yesterday. Leading the way was Knoxville, Tennessee native Brent Cole who was named First Team Preseason All-South Atlantic Conference at the goalkeeper position. Also named to the preseason All-SAC Second Team were Leandro Pereira (Brasilia, Brazil) who finished 5th in the nation in goals scored last season with 22 and was named Daktronics First Team All-American in 2006, Leonardo Barros (Brasilia, Brazil) who contributed 7 goals and 10 assists from his midfield/forward position, Claudio Rico (Jacarei City, Brazil) who was responsible for 1 goal and 10 assists last season. Rico, a midfielder, is considered to be the glue that holds the Railsplitters together. Finally, Felipe Nogueira (Uberaba, Brazil) rounded out the LMU players making the squad. Nogueira could be one of the top defenders in the country according to LMU Head Coach Helio D’Anna. The Railsplitters will begin defense of their Appalachian Region title August 24 when they play host to the University of Charleston from West Virginia at home on the Les Gibbs Field. The match will get underway at 4:00 p.m. on the LMU campus. -LMU- For additional comments please contact, |