RAMS PICKED TO CAPTURE THRID STRAIGHT CROWN IN PRE-SEASON POLL
8-8-06

RICHMOND, Va. -Two-time defending regular season Colonial Athletic Association champions Virginia Commonwealth University has been picked to finish first according to a vote of the league’s 12 women’s soccer coaches.

The Rams received eight first-place votes and 116 total points to claim the top spot in the poll. Defending CAA champion Hofstra earned a pair of first-place votes and was picked second with 105 points, while James Madison also garnered two first-place votes and ranked third with 103 points.

VCU returns eight starters from its 13-5-5 squad that went unbeaten in CAA regular-season play (9-0-2) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever with a 3-1 victory over Clemson.

A ccording to Soccer Buzz Magazine. the Rams’ 2006 recruiting class is ranked as the 25th best recruiting class in the country. In addition the Rams are ranked fourth in Mid-Atlantic Region ahead of Maryland and Villanova while sitting atop the CAA rankings. VCU has had a Top 50 recruiting class for the past three years.

The Rams will hit the field Saturday, August 19 vs. Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. in an exhibition match at VCU’s Sports Backers Stadium

2006 CAA WOMEN’S SOCCER PRE-SEASON COACHES POLL
1. VCU (8 first-place votes)	116
2. Hofstra (2 first-place votes)	105
3. James Madison (2 first-place votes)	103
4. William & Mary	89
5. Delaware	85
6. Old Dominion	69
7. George Mason	56
8. UNC Wilmington	49
9. Northeastern	43
10. Towson	33
11. Georgia State	32
12. Drexel	12

(Teams received 11 points for a first-place vote, 10 for second, etc. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.)