Soccer Receives High Preseason Rankings

Aug. 20, 2004

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Coming off the best season in school history and returning nine starters from last year’s squad, the 2004 University of Kansas soccer team received a pair of high national rankings this week. The Jayhawks are the No. 11 team in SoccerBuzz Magazine’s preseason rankings and were placed at No. 19 in the Soccer America preseason top 25.

Kansas finished the 2003 season ranked 11th and will begin this season in the same position in the SoccerBuzz poll. The Big 12 Conference placed five teams in the preseason rankings. In addition to KU, Texas A&M (4th), Texas (8th), Colorado (17th) and Nebraska (26th) were all placed on the list. The Jayhawks will also meet a pair of ranked teams in non-conference matches when they travel to Champaign, Ill., to take on No. 19 Illinois on Sept. 14 and to Auburn, Ala., to battle Auburn on Sept. 19.

Soccer America also released its preseason top 25, which includes five teams from the Big 12. Texas (4th), Texas A&M (11th), Colorado (17), Kansas (19th) and Nebraska (25th) represent the league on the initial rankings for the 2004 season. KU opponents Clemson and Auburn also appear on the list, at No. 12 and No. 23, respectively.

The Jayhawks hit the field for an exhibition match Saturday against Creighton at 2 p.m. before kicking off the 2004 season against UNLV in Las Vegas on Aug. 28.