University of Memphis Athletics
Konno and McLeod Tabbed Preseason All-Conference
Aug 10, 2004 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 10, 2004
Irving, Texas - The Memphis women's soccer team has been picked to finish in eighth place in the 14-team Conference USA in a preseason poll by the league's head coaches released today by the conference office. Additionally, senior forward Yuiko Konno and junior midfielder Nicky McLeod were named to the preseason All-Conference team. Both Konno and McLeod were named to the postseason All-Conference team last year.
The Lady Tigers are coming off a season in which they went 5-10-3 overall and finished 2-7-1 in C-USA play. That record placed them tied for 12th place last year. All seven conference losses and eight of their 10 overall losses came by one goal. The Tigers lost just two seniors off last year's team and return nine starters and 15 letterwinners for fifth-year head coach Brooks Monaghan. Those returnees include three of their top four scorers and nine of the 10 players that recorded at least one goal in 2003.
Konno, a first team All-C-USA selection last season, led the conference in goals with 12 last year and tied for the league lead in points with 27, which was also the second-highest single-season total in Memphis history. She was also an All-Central Region third team pick by both the NSCAA and Soccer Buzz. McLeod, who was also a first team All-C-USA selection in 2003, was the only Tiger last year to start all 18 games. She scored two goals last year, both of which were game-winners, and also recorded four assists. In 2002, she was an All-C-USA freshman team pick.
Defending regular season champion UAB was picked first in the league, followed by Saint Louis, 2003 tournament champion DePaul, and Marquette. The top four were followed by Charolotte, TCU, and Cincinnati. After the Tigers in eighth place, the poll was rounded out by East Carolina, USF, Tulane, Houston, Louisville, and Southern Miss. Julianna Sitch of DePaul was named the preseason Player of the Year.
The top eight finishers in the league will advance to the conference tournament, which will be held November 3-6 and hosted by Saint Louis at Hermann Stadium on the campus of SLU. The Lady Tigers kick off the 2004 campaign on Sunday, August 29 at Alabama A&M. The home opener will be a week later on Sunday, September 5 against Middle Tennessee State. All home games this year will be played at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex.
