Concordia Favored to Claim CCC Soccer Crown

8/10/2011 4:10:12 AM

2011 CCC Team-by-Team Quick Facts I 2011 CCC Composite Schedule

PORTLAND, Ore. – Despite losing four starters from a team ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of last season, perennial NAIA power Concordia (Ore.) is once again a prohibitive favorite to win the Cascade Collegiate Conference women’s soccer championship, according to a poll of the league’s 10 head coaches.

The Cavaliers, who have won 13 of the last 14 regular season conference titles, earned nine of 10 first-place votes and totaled 99 points in the conference’s preseason ranking.

Concordia was followed by Corban (Ore.), last year’s conference runner-up, which totaled 86 points. The Warriors were followed by College of Idaho (72), Southern Oregon (71, including one first-place vote)), Northwest (56), Oregon Tech (48), Eastern Oregon (42), Northwest Christian (36), Warner Pacific (24), and Evergreen (16).

Two-time first team NAIA All-American Brittany Orr, a senior defender and last year’s CCC Defensive Player of the Year, leads a contingent of seven returning starters for the Cavaliers, who are coming off a 19-1-2 overall record in 2010. Concordia also returns two other players who have achieved NAIA All-America recognition during their careers – senior midfielder Jackie Hendrickson (4 goals, 2 assists last year), and senior defender Jenna Peterson (2 goals, 3 assists). In addition, junior keeper Tori Talbutt, who allowed just seven goals in 22 starts last season, is back in goal.

Concordia coach Grant Landy, who is beginning his 15th season with the Cavs, enters the 2011 season with a career winning percentage of .817 (253-49-10), tops in NAIA history.

Corban is led by returning CCC Offensive Player of the Year Emily Tsugawa, who tallied 14 goals and eight assists to lead the conference with 36 points a year ago. The senior forward will be joined up front by another potent offensive weapon, sophomore forward Audrey Sullivan, who was named the CCC Co-Newcomer of the Year (10 goals, 4 assists). Senior Amanda Mendenhall, an honorable mention NAIA All-American, returns to anchor the Warriors’ midfield.

College of Idaho returns 13 letterwinners and eight starters from last year’s club, which went 10-8 overall and 6-3 in CCC action. The trio of Macy Egerman, Chelsea Heffner and Kelly Hardegree-Ullman combined for 19 goals last season. Southern Oregon returns all but two starters from its 2010 squad, which went 12-5-2 overall and 6-2-1 in conference action. Top returnees for the Raiders include junior forward Stephanie Carr (10 goals, 1 assist) and senior keeper Jessica Kuehlwein (0.79 goals-against average).

The CCC’s conference season gets underway Oct. 1. The top four teams in the final regular season standings will advance to the conference postseason tournament. Semifinals are slated for Nov. 5, with the championship match scheduled for Nov. 12. The winner of the CCC tournament will earn the conference’s automatic berth in the NAIA Championships, which begin Nov. 19.



CCC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll