Aug. 17, 2006

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Memphis Lady Tiger soccer team was picked to finish fourth in the Conference USA poll, the C-USA office announced Thursday morning.

Following a fifth place finish in 2005, the Lady Tigers return 17 of 24 letterwinners and should be a major factor in the 2006 C-USA title race. Memphis finished behind only 2005 NCAA Tournament teams SMU and Rice, and 2005 regular season champion UCF in the voting.

In addition, Memphis senior Shoko Mikami was selected to the all-conference preseason team. The lone Tiger representative, Mikami showed why she is so highly touted, scoring two goals in just 15 minutes of action in Memphis' first preseason match against Christian Brothers University on Wednesday.

The Lady Tigers will be in action again Friday, taking on nationally ranked Saint Louis at 7:00 p.m. at Mike Rose Soccer Complex. The match will be Memphis' final preseason contest.

2006 C-USA PRESEASON AWARDS
1. SMU
2. UCF
3. Rice
4. Memphis
5. UTEP
6. Colorado College
7. UAB
8. Houston
9. East Carolina
10. Tulsa
11. Marshall
12. Southern Miss

C-USA PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Sophia Mundy, Sr., F/MF, Houston (Katy, Texas)

C-USA PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Beth Martin, Jr., D, Rice (Austin, Texas)

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE USA TEAM
Sophia Mundy, Sr., F/MF, Houston (Katy, Texas)
Shoko Mikami, Sr., F, Memphis (Chiba, Japan)
Beth Martin, Jr., D, Rice (Austin, Texas)
Caitlin Robbins, So., F, Rice (Houston, Texas)
Kimber Bailey, Jr., F/MF, SMU (Garland, Texas)
Ashley Gunter, So., GK, SMU (Lancaster, Pa.)
Carley Phillips, So., D, SMU (Plano, Texas)
Jill Porto, Jr., MF, UAB (Woodbridge, Va.)
Roberta Pelarigo, Jr., F/MF, UCF (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Brittany Popoff, Jr., GK, UTEP (Westbank, B.C.)
Jami Tullius, Jr., F, UTEP (El Paso, Texas)