Southeastern Conference Coaches Pick Gators to Defend League Soccer
Title in 2008
8/14/08
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The University of Florida soccer program was picked
by the league coaches to defend its Southeastern Conference team title
in 2008, the conference office released Thursday morning.
Florida earned seven first-place votes, while Tennessee received three
votes and Georgia collected two votes. The Gators claimed their eighth
and second consecutive SEC title in 2007 with a 9-2 league record. Those
three teams also rank in the National Soccer Coaches Association of
America (NSCAA) preseason poll released earlier this week - No. 13
Tennessee, No. 18 Georgia and No. 20 Florida.
In the preseason voting for the SEC East title, Florida led with seven
first-place votes and 59 points. Tennessee was second with 55 points,
followed by Georgia (52), South Carolina (37), Vanderbilt (23) and
Kentucky (20).
In the West, LSU was first with 62 total points (seven first-place
votes) compared to Auburn's 59 points (five first-place votes).
Points were compiled on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division, though
each coach was not allowed to vote for their own team. Each coach also
voted for one team as an overall conference champion.
“The SEC gains strength each year, which was shown last season with six
SEC teams advancing to NCAA play. Each and every SEC match is a battle,
so we will need to be ready,” UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh said.
Florida returns five starters from the 2007 team that reached the NCAA
Round of 16. The Gators return three All-SEC performers - senior Ameera
Abdullah (2007 All-SEC second team, 2006 All-SEC first team) and juniors
Ashlee Elliott (2007 All-SEC first team) and Lauren Hyde (2006 & '07
All-SEC first team).
Florida opens the 2008-09 competitive season for the Gator athletic
program when it travels to Boulder, Colo., to meet Colorado on Aug. 22.
The Gators return to the Sunshine State to face Florida Atlantic in Boca
Raton on Aug. 24. The opening weekend of home action for the Gator
soccer team is Aug. 29-31. Florida faces the same team it played in the
2007 season home finale, UCF, at 8 p.m. on Aug. 29 for the 2008 home
opener at the James G. Pressly Stadium. UF and UCF played to a scoreless
tie in 2007 NCAA Second Round action, with Florida advancing to the NCAA
Round of 16 after taking a 4-3 advantage in penalty kicks. Florida also
meets Nebraska on Aug. 31 at 1 p.m.
2008 SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll (first-place votes in parentheses) SEC
Champion: Florida (7), Tennessee (3), Georgia (2)
2007 Standings and Records
Team SEC Pts. H A Div. ALL Pct.
EASTERN DIVISION (2008 Votes)
Florida!#^ (7) 9-2-0 27.0 6-0-0 3-2-0 3-2-0 17-5-3 .740
Georgia (2) 8-1-2 26.0 4-1-1 4-0-1 5-0-0 18-4-2 .792
Tennessee (3) 8-2-1 25.0 5-0-0 3-2-1 4-1-0 15-5-2 .727
South Carolina 5-4-2 17.0 4-1-0 1-3-2 1-4-0 14-6-3 .674
Kentucky 4-6-1 13.0 2-2-1 2-4-0 1-4-0 10-7-3 .575
Vanderbilt 3-6-2 11.0 2-4-0 1-2-2 1-4-0 6-10-3 .395
WESTERN DIVISION (2008 Votes)
LSU% (7) 5-2-4 19.0 2-0-3 3-2-1 3-1-1 12-5-7 .646
Auburn (5) 6-5-0 18.0 4-1-0 2-4-0 4-1-0 10-8-2 .550
Mississippi 4-4-3 15.0 3-2-1 1-2-2 4-0-1 7-8-5 .475
Miss. State 2-8-1 7.0 1-3-1 1-5-0 1-4-0 6-12-1 .342
Alabama 2-8-1 7.0 2-3-1 0-5-0 1-4-0 9-10-1 .475
Arkansas 1-9-1 4.0 1-4-1 0-5-0 1-4-0 8-11-1 .425
!--SEC Champion; #--SEC Tournament Champion; ^--Eastern Division
Champion; %--Western Division Champions
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