Aug. 17, 2011
ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Oakland University men's soccer team was tabbed as the co-favorite to win The Summit League title this season in The Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll, as voted on by the league's eight head coaches and announced by the league office on Wednesday. The Golden Grizzlies were also picked for the TopDrawerSoccer.com Tournament 48 Team as predicted champions of The Summit League.
"It's a great honor and a tribute to the returning players that we have from last year's Summit League Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament squad, as well as the yearly success of Oakland soccer," said head coach Eric Pogue. "There are a lot of great teams in our league from top-to-bottom, so we are honored that our peers think highly enough of us to vote us among the best."
Both Oakland and UMKC earned 32 points in the poll, with the defending Summit League Tournament Champion Golden Grizzlies collecting a league-high three first place votes. The Kangaroos, the regular season champions in 2010, received a pair of first place votes.
Western Illinois was third in the poll with 23 points and one first place vote. Oral Roberts was fourth in the poll with 21 points and a single first place vote. IUPUI and Summit League newcomer Eastern Illinois tied for fifth in the league standings with 15 points each. IPFW rounded out the poll in seventh place with nine points.
The Golden Grizzlies are looking to become the first team to repeat as league champions since the 2006 season. The OU roster includes four Summit League All-Tournament team players from last season in Mitch Hildebrandt, Johnny Dreshaj, Lucas Diener and Tournament MVP Jon Evans.
The OU defense should once again be tough to beat as both Hildebrandt and defender Winston Henderson were All-Summit League first team selections last season for an OU team that tied for the league lead in shutouts. Oakland also returns a talented duo of younger players, as both Andrew Barrett and Miche'li Lipari were Summit League All-Newcomer Team selections last season.
The soccer action kicks off for Oakland on Thursday with an exhibition match against Michigan State at the OU Soccer Field at 7 p.m. Admission to the exhibition match is free to OU students with a valid ID. General admission tickets will be on sale at the gate for $5 for adults and $3 for children.
"We look forward to trying to defend last year's conference tournament title," concluded Pogue. "But we all know that it is not where you are ranked at the beginning of the season that matters, but where you are ranked at the end of the season that matters most."
-OAKLAND-
