Elmhurst, Ill. (Aug. 20, 2004) ???C Oakland University???s women???s soccer team has been picked as the favorite in the race for the Mid-Continent Conference championship in a preseason poll of the league???s head coaches. The Golden Grizzlies won last season???s title with a perfect 6-0 league mark and captured the Mid-Con Tournament title and a third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. OU picked up the maximum six first place votes, with Oral Roberts getting the other first-place nod and placing second in the poll. Oakland, which finished last season at 15-5-1 overall, has won or shared the regular season Mid-Con title in four of the five years the league has sponsored the sport. The Golden Grizzlies will be going for their fourth consecutive Mid-Con Tournament title and NCAA appearance this season, with head coach Nick O???Shea returning five starters and 10 letterwinners off of last season???s team. The group includes first team all-Mid-Con forward Marianne Samdal (Tiller, Norway). A sophomore this season, she is the squad???s leading returning scorer with 11 goals and three assists last year. The Golden Grizzlies also return three other all-conference players from 2003; senior defender Katie Arnott (St. John???s, Newfoundland) (1g, 1a), junior forward Kristi Swaving (Albuquerque, N.M.) (8g, 2a) and sophomore defender Cat Panabaker (Hamilton, Ontario). Oakland opens its season on Friday, August 27, when it hosts Western Michigan at the OU Soccer Field in a 4:00 p.m. match.

2004 Mid-Con Women???s Soccer Preseason Poll   School                Pts.1. Oakland (6)            362. Oral Roberts (1)       313. Centenary              244. Valparaiso             195. IUPUI                  14   Western Illinois       147. Southern Utah          10