College Update: UCLA, LMU & More
Fox Soccer Channel, in its fourth consecutive season of airing college soccer games, announced its 20-game slate today that begins 7 p.m. Aug. 29 from Home Depot Center when the UCLA men play Maryland.
Eight women's games will air on Thursdays, while 12 men's matches are set for Fridays.
Meanwhile, with the college season fast approaching the polls and predictions are coming in:
*The Loyola Marymount women were picked to finish fourth in the West Coast
Conference, according to the preseason coaches poll announced today. LMU went 12-6-1 in 2007 in Head Coach Joe Mallia¹s first year with the program. Nine starters return this season. LMU opens its 2008 campaign with an exhibition match 1 p.m. Saturday against
Texas.
Women¹s Soccer 2008 Preseason Poll
1. Portland - 49 (7)
2. Santa Clara - 42 (1)
3. San Diego - 37
4. Loyola Marymount - 30
5. Pepperdine - 24
6. Gonzaga - 22
7. San Francisco - 11
8. Saint Mary¹s - 9
(First place votes)
*Cal State Dominguez Hills was the only CCAA school to see both its men's and women's programs land in the top 25 in preseason polling.
The Toro men, coming off back to back CCAA titles, are ranked 11th after compiling an 18-3-2 record last year. The Toro women are ranked 13th after going 14-5-4 last season.
The season for both programs starts Aug. 28 in Carson.
*The Long Beach State women, winners of the last two Big West regular season titles, was edged out by UC Santa Barbara for the top spot in the Big West Conference pre-season coaches poll.
The 49ers, which return 10 starters to a team that went 13-7-0 last year, opens its season Aug. 22 against Gonzaga.
Preseason Poll Results:
1. UC Santa Barbara (4) 74
2. Long Beach State (3) 73
3. Cal Poly (2) 62
4. Cal State Fullerton 60
5. UC Irvine 40
6. Pacific 30
7. Cal State Northridge 26
8. UC Riverside 25
9. UC Davis 15
About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
Leave a comment