ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference soccer coaches picked the Northern State University Wolves to finish eighth in the 2010 edition of the NSIC Preseason Poll. The Wolves, who have not missed an NSIC tournament berth since the program’s inception, finished seventh in the 2009 standings and picked up 88 points in the 2010 poll.
Defending regular season conference champion Winona State received nine of a possible 13 first place votes (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team or players) and finished with 162 points. Minnesota State, Mankato picked up two first place votes and 152 total points, narrowly edging the 2009 conference tournament champion Minnesota Duluth, which tallied the remaining three first place votes and 150 points.
St. Cloud State (134 points) and U-Mary (111) rounded out the top five, while Augustana and Bemidji State each garnered 104 points to tie for the sixth place spot.
NSU senior midfielder Maggie Fedor was picked as the Wolves’ Offensive Player to Watch, while junior Lexi Jares was tabbed as the Defensive Player to Watch. Fedor, a Second Team All-NSIC selection in 2009, scored a team-best five goals for the Wolves last season and has 28 career goals to her credit.
Jares, an Aberdeen native, started the 2009 season up front for the Wolves before moving into a defensive role for the second half of the campaign. Along with her two goals, the speedy Jares helped the NSU defensive corps to a 0.98 goals against average and nine total shutouts.
The Wolves, who began preseason practices on Monday, officially kick off the 2010 season on Friday, Sept. 3 with their annual Cancer Awareness Game. NSU plays host to Minot State for the non-conference affair, which is slated for 11 p.m. at Swisher Field.
Related: Complete NSIC Poll