Concordia Eyes 10th Consecutive CCC Title

8/12/2009 7:07:53 AM

PORTLAND, Ore. – Winner of the last nine Cascade Collegiate Conference women’s soccer titles, Concordia University is a unanimous favorite to make it a perfect 10 in 2009, according to a preseason poll of the league’s head coaches.

The Cavaliers, whose only loss last year came in the NAIA championship game, picked up all 10 first place votes and totaled 100 points to edge College of Idaho for the favorites’ tag in 2009. The Yotes, who fell to Concordia in last year’s CCC tournament championship game, finished a strong No. 2 in the balloting, totaling 89 points. Oregon Tech (67) was third, and was followed by Southern Oregon (65), Northwest (63), Corban (59), Eastern Oregon (38), Evergreen (31), Warner Pacific (20) and Northwest Christian (18).

The CCC’s 14th season of women’s soccer gets underway Aug. 19 when Concordia plays host to Grand View (Iowa).

Veteran Concordia coach Grant Landy, who is 313-46-16 (.804) in 12 seasons as the Cavaliers’ head coach, returns seven starters and 12 letterwinners from last year’s 23-1-1 squad, including senior goalkeeper Georgie Christensen (nine shutouts, 0.49 GAA), senior forward Jessica Ramback (team-high 22 goals in 2008), junior forward Kaitlyn Tebbs (12 goals, 10 assists in ’08), and senior midfielder Carli Goddard (2007 CCC Newcomer of the Year who sat out last season as a medical redshirt).

College of Idaho returns a wealth of experience from last year’s 12-6-2 CCC runner-up team, including 10 of 11 starters and 17 letterwinners. Top returnees for fourth-year coach Niki Taylor include five All-CCC honorees – sophomore forward Macy Egerman, senior midfielders Mandy Greif and Chelsea Heffner, senior keeper Sadie Hughes, and junior defender Colleen Smith.

Oregon Tech’s fifth-year head coach, Bryan Mueller, returns 13 letterwinners from last year’s team, which placed third in the league with a 7-2-1 mark. The Owls’ top returnee is Katie O’Brien, a second-team All-CCC choice who totaled six goals last season.

Southern Oregon has eight returning starters from last year’s squad, which placed fifth in the CCC with a 6-4 league mark.

2009 CCC Women's Soccer Coaches' Poll