St. Paul, Minn. – The MinnesotaIntercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) released Preseason Coaches Polls for the fall sports of football, volleyball, men’s soccer, and women’s soccer today. 2007 preseason favorites include: Saint John’s University (football); Concordia College (volleyball); Gustavus Adolphus College (men’s soccer); and Macalester College (women’s soccer). Coaches voted for every team in the conference except their own team. Points were assigned for each vote (1 for first, 2 for second, etc.) Teams are ranked in order of lowest point total to highest with first place votes shown in parentheses.
Reigning MIAC co-champions Saint
John’s and Bethel took the top two spots in
the football preseason poll. The Johnnies received eight of nine
first place votes to beat out Bethel, St. Olaf, St.
Thomas and Concordia for first. Football non-conference action
kicks off Saturday, September 1 with MIAC conference games
beginning Saturday, September 15.
1. Saint John's (8)
2. Bethel (1)
3. St. Olaf
4. St. Thomas
5. Concordia
6. Gustavus
7. Carleton
8. Hamline
9. Augsburg
MIAC Volleyball
2006 MIAC regular season and playoff champion Concordia took first
in this year’s coaches poll. St.
Thomas and Gustavus each received three first place votes,
finishing second and third, respectively. Saint Benedict and
Carleton followed, rounding out the top five. Non-conference
volleyball games begin on Friday, August 31 and MIAC conference
matches start on Wednesday, September 12.
1. Concordia (6)
2. St. Thomas (3)
3. Gustavus (3)
4. Saint Benedict
5. Carleton
6. Bethel
7. St. Olaf
8. Saint Mary’s
9. Augsburg
10. (tie) Macalester
10. (tie) St. Catherine
12. Hamline
MIAC Men's Soccer
Gustavus, last season’s MIAC regular season co-champ and
playoff champion, received seven first place votes to top the
men’s soccer preseason poll. Following the Gusties were 2006
regular season co-champion Saint John’s with three
first place votes. Augsburg, St. Thomas, and Macalester
rounded out the top five. Men's soccer non-conference action begins
Friday, August 31 with MIAC conference games beginning Wednesday,
September 12.
1. Gustavus (7)
2. Saint John’s (3)
3. Augsburg (1)
4. St. Thomas
5. Macalester
6. Hamline
7. Carleton
8. St. Olaf
9. Bethel
10. Saint Mary's
11. Concordia
MIAC Women's Soccer
With four teams receiving first place votes, the 2007 MIAC
women’s soccer race looks to be pretty unpredictable.
Macalester managed to top the poll with five first place votes. The
Scots beat out Carleton, Saint Benedict, and Concordia for first.
Non-conference games kickoff Friday, August 31 for women's soccer
and MIAC conference matches begin Tuesday, September 11.
1. Macalester (5)
2. Carleton (3)
3. Saint Benedict (1)
4. Concordia (3)
5. St. Thomas
6. Augsburg
7. Gustavus
8. St. Olaf
9. Saint Mary’s
10. St. Catherine
11. Bethel
12. Hamline
