Huskers Ranked 17th in Preseason Poll

The Nebraska soccer team is ranked 17th in the preseason NSCAA/adidas top 25 poll, released on Tuesday. NU finished 23rd in last season’s final poll, the ninth consecutive season the Huskers ended the season ranked in the top 25.

In 2004, NU also appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth consecutive season and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the eighth time in the past nine seasons.

The 2005 Huskers return 10 starters, including 2003 point leader Jessie Bruch, who missed all last season while recovering from a knee injury. Nebraska returns an overwhelming majority of its offensive production from last season, including players totaling 84 percent of the goal scoring (42 of 50 goals scored in 2004) and 86 percent (31 of 36 assists) of the 2004 assist total.

Junior Brittany Timko, the 2004 Big 12 Player of the Year, returns after leading Nebraska with 15 goals, 13 assists and 43 points and earning third-team All-America honors last season. Fellow junior Tanya Dennis and senior Sasha Andrews are also returning first-team All-Big 12 picks, while Timko, Andrews and senior Nikki Baker are returning All-Midwest Region selections. Bruch returns after earning a selection to the All-Big 12 Newcomer team in her freshman season of 2003.

The Huskers will also be bolstered by the influx of 11 freshmen, leading to a roster of 24 players, a significant increase from last season. The incoming class, ranked No. 7 in the country by StudentSportsSoccer.com, is one of the deepest and most talented collections of players in school history. In the Jenna Cooper Memorial Match against Louisville on Sunday, seven freshmen saw action.

In the game against Louisville, the Huskers demonstrated a quick-strike and potent offense and a solid defense. Baker scored two goals just 15 seconds apart in the first five minutes and Katie Bunkers added a goal in the 43rd minute in Nebraska’s 3-0 victory. Defensively, junior goalkeeper Katie Wright and freshman Jamie Klages combined on the shutout, while facing only two shots on goal.

Three 2005 opponents, Texas A&M (No. 6), Illinois (No. 13) and Kansas (No. 23), are ranked in the poll. Last season, NU defeated Kansas twice, but lost to Texas A&M and Illinois, with the defeat to the Fighting Illini coming in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament at Illinois. Two more Husker opponents, Colorado and Texas, are among 10 teams also receiving votes.

Fans can get an early look at the Huskers this week with a pair of events scheduled at the Nebraska Soccer Field, the new on-campus home of Nebraska Soccer. On Thursday, the team invites fans to Meet-N-Beat the Huskers from 6 to 8 p.m. On Saturday, fans can see NU in action at the team’s Red/White Scrimmage at Noon. For more information on the Nebraska Soccer Field and questions relating to parking and entrance to the stadium, please click on the above link.

NSCAA/adidas Preseason Top 25
1. Notre Dame
2. North Carolina
3. UCLA
4. Virginia
5. Santa Clara
6. Texas A&M*
7. Portland
8. PennState
9. Connecticut
10. OhioState
11. Tennessee
12. Duke
13. Illinois*
14. Stanford
15. West Virginia
16. BostonCollege
17. Nebraska
18. Arizona
19. Florida
20. Washington
t-21. Princeton
t-21. WakeForest
23. Kansas*
24. California
25. Wisconsin

Also receiving votes: Clemson, Auburn, Colorado*, Villanova, San Diego, Yale, Dayton, Texas*, Maryland, Colagate.

*2005 Husker opponent