August 15, 2007

Lady Jackets Picked in Middle of GNAC Pack

BILLINGS, Mont. – There’s no question that the Great Northwest Athletic Conference is loaded with talented women’s soccer teams.  Last year the top three teams in the league claimed three of the four spots in the NCAA Far West Regional.  In 2007, Montana State Billings will try to crash the party atop the GNAC standings in the Yellowjackets’ first year in the league.

The Jackets have been picked to finish fourth in a poll of conference coaches released Wednesday.  MSUB won a school-record 13 games last season, the Yellowjackets’ second and final year in the Heartland Conference.  They were likely just a win or two away from qualifying for the postseason in the Midwest Region.  Now they’ll take their game back to the Far West Region, where the top schools in the GNAC rule.  MSUB played as an independent in the Far West Region for the first decade of the program’s history.

“Right now we aren’t too concerned about being picked to finish fourth in the conference,” said Yellowjacket head coach Don Trentham.  “We are more concerned about preparing for a very challenging road game against Adams State on August 23.  As we’ve learned in the past, preseason and mid-season rankings mean absolutely nothing.  The only ranking that is important is the ranking at the end of the season.  That is the one that determines if your season is over or if you get a chance to play another week.”

Seattle Pacific was picked to finish first with 64 points and five first place votes.  The Falcons were followed in the poll by Seattle University with 58 points and two first place votes, Western Washington with 53 points and one first place vote, and MSU Billings with 37 points.  Seattle Pacific, Seattle, and Western Washington all qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year.  Seattle Pacific defeated Seattle in the first round before losing to UC San Diego in the regional championship game.  SPU is the preseason No. 12 team in the nation according to the NSCAA, and Seattle is No. 17.

The Yellowjackets open the regular season on August 23 with a road game at Adams State.  They will play three road games before opening the home schedule against Regis on September 3.