Central Missouri soccer (photo/UCM Athletics)
The Jennies Soccer program will start the 2015 campaign ranked No. 7 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) preseason poll, which was released on Thursday afternoon.
The Jennies are coming off of a spectacular 2014 season which saw the program win its fifth-straight MIAA Regular Season championship, second MIAA tournament championship, first Central Region championship and first appearance in the Elite Eight in school history.
UCM is the only MIAA team ranked in the preseason top 25, with fellow MIAA member Central Oklahoma beginning the season in the also receiving votes category.
The Jennies return 10 of their 11 starters from last season, including leading scorer senior forward Julie Ireland (Lake St. Louis, Mo.) and sophomore keeper Ana Dilkes (Wichita, Kan.), who recorded 13 shutouts as a freshman in 2014.
UCM will open the season in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Jennies will play Minnesota-Duluth on Friday, Sept. 4 and Augustana on Sunday, Sept. 6. Central Missouri’s home opener is set for Thursday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. against the University of Mary. The Jens will begin defense of their MIAA championship when they begin conference play on September 18 with a home match against Lindenwood.
