Elmhurst, Ill. ???C Like its men???s team yesterday, Oakland University???s women???s soccer team has been chosen to defend its 2002 Mid-Continent Conference title, getting six first-place votes in the 2003 Mid-Con Preseason Poll of the league???s coaches. Oakland totaled 36 points in the poll, with Oral Roberts coming in second with 30. Valparaiso received the other first-place vote in the poll, finishing third with 26 points. Oakland, which has won the last three Mid-Con Tournament titles, finished with a 10-12-1 and appeared in its second straight NCAA Tournament in 2002. The Golden Grizzlies return the Mid-Con Player of the Year from last season, senior midfielder Erica Demers (Welland, Ont.), who scored five goals and had seven assists a year ago. OU also returns last season???s Mid-Con Newcomer of the Year, sophomore forward Kristi Swaving (Albuquerque, N.M.) who tallied eight goals and five assists. Oakland also returns three other players who received all-conference honors last season, senior goalkeeper Sarah Buckland (Burlington, Ont.), senior defender Therese Bjorke (Lovenstad, Norway) and junior midfielder Katie Arnott (St. John???s, Newfoundland). Oakland will open its season on Friday, August 29 when it takes on host Illinois at the Illini Cup in Champaign, Ill.

Mid-Con Preseason 2003 Women???s Soccer Poll        1. Oakland (6)          36  2. Oral Roberts     30  3. Valparaiso (1)   26  4. Centenary            23  5. Southern Utah    15  6. IUPUI            13  7. Western Illinois  8