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 The team listens to instructions before their scrimmage Monday night during Soccer Midnight Madness. |
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Aug. 14, 2007
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Just as Western Carolina soccer opened preseason camp this week, the Catamounts got some motivating news - the club is receiving votes in Soccer Buzz Magazine. The Catamounts are 19th overall in the Southeast region out of 54 teams.
It is the third time in the school's eight-year history the Catamounts have made an appearance in the Soccer Buzz preseason poll, as the team was ranked 18th in the preseason prior to the 2006 season. Western Carolina received its highest ranking following its Southern Conference Tournament Championship win in 2005, debuting in 10th.
The 2001 Catamounts, which won the school's lone regular season Southern Conference championship, earned the program's highest overall ranking in the poll, finishing the season ranked ninth in the Southeast region.
Five of Western Carolina's 2007 opponents appear in the Southeast regional rankings, with Clemson also showing up in the national poll, ranking 28th. Clemson is ranked fifth in the Southeast region poll, while Charlotte is 10th, UNC Greensboro 13th, East Carolina 14th and Davidson is receiving votes.
"The Southeast Region is the biggest and most saturated region in the Soccer Buzz regional polls," said Head Coach Tammy DeCesare. "It is a nice motivational tool to be receiving votes in the poll, but we have a lot of work still to do."
Western Carolina kicked off its preseason campaign with the Third-Annual Midnight Madness on Monday. The tradition began in conjunction with the stadium receiving lights and has continued every since. The Catamounts played two 30-minute halves and one 15-minute half, with festivities beginning at midnight and lasting until about 2:30 a.m. at the Catamount Athletic Complex.
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"I think the team came in very prepared for preseason practice," DeCesare said. "They have a mental toughness about them. The seniors have come in with a goal and they are focused, all of the returning players have come in that way too."
Western Carolina will host an Alumni Scrimmage at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon at the Catamount Athletic Complex.
