Kansas Places Two on Preseason All-Big Soccer 12 Team
Aug. 18, 2004
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas soccer placed two student-athletes on the preseason All-Big 12 soccer team and the Jayhawks were picked to finish fifth in the conference on Wednesday as the Big 12 announced its preseason coaches poll and preseason honors.
Junior forward Caroline Smith and sophomore defender Holly Gault were selected as All-Big 12 performers after both players posted strong seasons while leading Kansas to the best season in school history in 2003. The honor is the second for Smith, as she was also named preseason All-Big 12 prior to last season.
In the preseason coaches poll, the Jayhawks were selected to finish fifth in the conference after receiving 59 points. Texas A&M was the coaches’ pick to win the conference, as the Aggies garnered 84 points and six of ten first place votes. Nebraska received 77 points, but elected not to participate in the poll. Texas and Colorado rounded out the four teams topping the Jayhawks in the poll. Last season, KU was selected seventh in the preseason Big 12 coaches poll but finished the season third in the conference.
Kansas soccer will host Creighton in an exhibition match this Saturday, Aug. 21, at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex at 2 p.m. in a final tune-up before traveling to Las Vegas, Nev., to take on UNLV in the season-opener on Aug. 28.
2004 Big 12 Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll(first place votes in parentheses; coaches not allowed to vote for own team or players)1. Texas A&M (6) 842. Nebraska* 773. Texas (1) 754. Colorado (2) 685. Kansas 596. Oklahoma State (1) 537. Missouri 478. Oklahoma 349. Baylor 2410. Iowa State 1911. Texas Tech 10* Nebraska received 77 points from the other 10 coaches, but elected not to participate in the voting. Since coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team, the other 10 teams received points from nine voting coaches.2004 Preseason All-Big 12 Conference Soccer TeamGK -- Kati Jo Spisak, Texas A&M, Jr. Manchester, Mo.D -- Amanda Burke, Texas A&M, Sr., Spring, Texas*D -- Laura Munnelly, Colorado, So., Arvada, Colo.*D -- Holly Gault, Kansas, So., Spring Hill, Kan.*D -- Charisse Co, Texas, Jr., Spring, Texas*D -- Laura Kram, Texas, Sr., Wildwood, Mo.MF -- Fran Munnelly, Colorado, Jr., Arvada, Co.MF -- Nikki Thaden, Texas, So., Clive, Iowa*MF-- Elyse Nikonchuk, Missouri, So, New Lenox, Ill.*MF-- Laura Probst, Texas A&M, Jr. Arvada, Colo.F -- Caroline Smith, Kansas, Jr., Edina, Minn.F -- Kelly McDonald, Texas Sr., Littleton, Colo.F -- Melissa Peabody, Missouri, Sr., St. Louis, Mo.*Tied for position
