WALNUT CREEK – Cal State L.A.’s women’s soccer team, the defending California Collegiate Athletic Association champions, has been selected as co-favorites to win the conference title in a vote of conference coaches.
Despite being picked to finish second in the CCAA South Division, Cal State L.A. received four votes to win the conference title, the same amount of votes that UC San Diego picked up. Cal State Dominguez Hills received three votes to win the conference title, while Chico State got the other vote.
Cal State L.A. captured its first-ever CCAA championship last season. The Golden Eagles were a conference-best 12-2-2 (38 points) in CCAA play to win the CCAA South Division. The Golden Eagles then blanked Chico State (1-0) and Cal State Dominguez Hills (4-0) to win the conference title.
The Golden Eagles finished with a 17-3-2 overall record, a No. 14 national ranking and set a new program standard for wins in a season.
Cal State Dominguez Hills was selected by the coaches to win the South Division with six first-place votes and 59 points. Cal State L.A. was second with four first-place votes and 55 points, while UC San Diego was third with two first-place votes and 54 points.
Chico State was picked to win the North Division with eight first-place votes and 63 points. Sonoma State got four first-place votes and 56 points.
Cal State L.A., Cal State Dominguez Hills, Chico State and UC San Diego were selected by the coaches to reach the four-team conference tournament and Cal State L.A. and UC San Diego were the co-favorites with four votes each to win the conference title.
The CCAA Tournament will be held Nov. 5-7 at Warrior Stadium on the campus of Cal State Stanislaus.
Cal State L.A. is one of three teams to begin the 2010 season in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America national rankings. Cal State L.A. is No. 14, while Cal State Dominguez Hills is No. 4 and UC San Diego is No. 20.
Cal State L.A. is coming off the best season in the program’s history and has seven starters and 14 players overall returning. The Golden Eagles return their top four scorers from last season, including CCAA Offensive Player of the Year Liz Franco and All-West Region defender Carolina Hanna. Franco, the West Region Player of the Year and a 2009 All-American, had 13 goals and 17 assists last season for a new Cal State L.A. single-season record of 43 points. Alex Conley, who earned first-team All-CCAA and All-West Region honors, returns after scoring 11 goals with six assists (28 points) last season and CCAA Freshman of the Year Ann Marie Tangorra is back after scoring 10 goals with six assists (26 points) last season. Gabbi Segall, who had five goals and seven assists last season, is back for her junior season. Senior goalie Jessie Walworth, who earned All-CCAA second team honors last season, also returns.
Cal State L.A. will open the 2010 season with a road match at Cal Baptist on Sept. 4. The Golden Eagles will begin CCAA play on Sept. 10 at UC San Diego and won’t play their home opener until Friday, Sept. 17, against San Francisco State.
2010 CCAA Women’s Soccer Coaches Poll
Place School (First Place Votes) Points 2009 Record
North
1. Chico State (8) 63 8-6-9, 6-2-8 CCAA
2. Sonoma State (4) 56 8-9-3, 6-7-3
3. Humboldt State 40 8-9-3, 5-8-3
4. San Francisco State 36 8-8-4, 6-7-3
5. Cal State Stanislaus 33 10-9-1, 6-9-1
6. Cal State Monterey Bay 17 4-13-1, 3-11-2
South
1. CS Dominguez Hills (6) 59 16-9-3, 11-5-0
2. Cal State L.A. (4) 55 17-3-2, 12-2-2
3. UC San Diego (2) 54 15-5-2, 11-5-0
4. CS San Bernardino 34 10-8-2, 9-5-2
5. Cal Poly Pomona 28 10-10-0, 4-5-0
6. Cal State East Bay 16 3-14-3, 2-12-2
Conference Tournament Participants
1. Cal State L.A. (11), Cal State Dominguez Hills (11); 3. Chico State (9), UC San Diego (9); 5. Sonoma State (5), 6. Cal State San Bernardino (2); 7. Humboldt State (1)
CCAA Tournament Champion (Votes)
Cal State L.A. (4)
UC San Diego (4)
Cal State Dominguez Hills (3)
Chico State (1)