Southeastern Conference Coaches Pick Gators to Defend League Soccer Title in 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008 | Soccer
The University of Florida soccer program was picked by the league coaches to defend its Southeastern Conference team title in 2008, the conference office released Thursday morning.
Florida earned seven first-place votes, while Tennessee received three votes and Georgia collected two votes. The Gators claimed their eighth and second consecutive SEC title in 2007 with a 9-2 league record. Those three teams also rank in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) preseason poll released earlier this week - No. 13 Tennessee, No. 18 Georgia and No. 20 Florida.
In the preseason voting for the SEC East title, Florida led with seven first-place votes and 59 points. Tennessee was second with 55 points, followed by Georgia (52), South Carolina (37), Vanderbilt (23) and Kentucky (20).
In the West, LSU was first with 62 total points (seven first-place votes) compared to Auburn's 59 points (five first-place votes).
Points were compiled on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division, though each coach was not allowed to vote for their own team. Each coach also voted for one team as an overall conference champion.
“The SEC gains strength each year, which was shown last season with six SEC teams advancing to NCAA play. Each and every SEC match is a battle, so we will need to be ready,” UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh said.
Florida returns five starters from the 2007 team that reached the NCAA Round of 16. The Gators return three All-SEC performers - senior Ameera Abdullah (2007 All-SEC second team, 2006 All-SEC first team) and juniors Ashlee Elliott (2007 All-SEC first team) and Lauren Hyde (2006 & '07 All-SEC first team).
Florida opens the 2008-09 competitive season for the Gator athletic program when it travels to Boulder, Colo., to meet Colorado on Aug. 22. The Gators return to the Sunshine State to face Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton on Aug. 24. The opening weekend of home action for the Gator soccer team is Aug. 29-31. Florida faces the same team it played in the 2007 season home finale, UCF, at 8 p.m. on Aug. 29 for the 2008 home opener at the James G. Pressly Stadium. UF and UCF played to a scoreless tie in 2007 NCAA Second Round action, with Florida advancing to the NCAA Round of 16 after taking a 4-3 advantage in penalty kicks. Florida also meets Nebraska on Aug. 31 at 1 p.m.
| 2008 SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll (first-place votes in parentheses) | |||||||
| SEC Champion: Florida (7), Tennessee (3), Georgia (2) | |||||||
| 2007 Standings and Records | |||||||
| Team | SEC | Pts. | H | A | Div. | ALL | Pct. |
| EASTERN DIVISION (2008 Votes) | |||||||
| Florida!#^ (7) | 9-2-0 | 27.0 | 6-0-0 | 3-2-0 | 3-2-0 | 17-5-3 | .740 |
| Georgia (2) | 8-1-2 | 26.0 | 4-1-1 | 4-0-1 | 5-0-0 | 18-4-2 | .792 |
| Tennessee (3) | 8-2-1 | 25.0 | 5-0-0 | 3-2-1 | 4-1-0 | 15-5-2 | .727 |
| South Carolina | 5-4-2 | 17.0 | 4-1-0 | 1-3-2 | 1-4-0 | 14-6-3 | .674 |
| Kentucky | 4-6-1 | 13.0 | 2-2-1 | 2-4-0 | 1-4-0 | 10-7-3 | .575 |
| Vanderbilt | 3-6-2 | 11.0 | 2-4-0 | 1-2-2 | 1-4-0 | 6-10-3 | .395 |
| WESTERN DIVISION (2008 Votes) | |||||||
| LSU% (7) | 5-2-4 | 19.0 | 2-0-3 | 3-2-1 | 3-1-1 | 12-5-7 | .646 |
| Auburn (5) | 6-5-0 | 18.0 | 4-1-0 | 2-4-0 | 4-1-0 | 10-8-2 | .550 |
| Mississippi | 4-4-3 | 15.0 | 3-2-1 | 1-2-2 | 4-0-1 | 7-8-5 | .475 |
| Miss. State | 2-8-1 | 7.0 | 1-3-1 | 1-5-0 | 1-4-0 | 6-12-1 | .342 |
| Alabama | 2-8-1 | 7.0 | 2-3-1 | 0-5-0 | 1-4-0 | 9-10-1 | .475 |
| Arkansas | 1-9-1 | 4.0 | 1-4-1 | 0-5-0 | 1-4-0 | 8-11-1 | .425 |
| !--SEC Champion; #--SEC Tournament Champion; ^--Eastern Division Champion; %--Western Division Champions | |||||||
