(Daily Campus Staff)

In the preseason rankings released by Conference USA, the conference coaches selected the SMU men’s soccer team as the odds-on favorite to win the conference. The Mustangs are defending conference champions and looking to repeat as both regular season champions and conference tournament winners. The Mustang men posted an overall record of 17-2-4 and a conference record of 5-1-2.

The Mustang players racked up more preseason awards that validate SMU’s status as a conference, as well as a national, collegiate soccer powerhouse. Junior midfielder Bruno Guarda was awarded preseason offensive player of the year. The choice was not difficult or surprising considering Guarda won the C-USA player of the year award in 2006. Senior Adrian Chevannes made the preseason all conference team as a defender and Guarda was the obvious choice to make the team as a midfielder.

The women’s soccer team was also elected by the coaches to repeat as C-USA champions. The lady Mustangs also won 17 games on the year and went 8-1 in the conference winning the regular season title.

Three of the women were elected to the preseason all conference team. All three of the women are integral parts of the defensive squad that will lead the team this year. Senior defender and midfielder Kimber Bailey scored nine goals for the Mustangs in 2006 and played excellent defense from the midfield. Junior goalkeeper Ashley Gunter was also selected to the team after starting in 23 of 24 games and posting a 1.01 goals against average. Junior defender Carley Phillips also made the preseason all conference team after starting every one of SMU’s games last year.

An abundance of preseason awards for both soccer teams suggests that 2007 will be another exciting year for SMU soccer and the athletic program as a whole. The soccer season can be long and strenuous, but it appears that both of these SMU soccer teams are poised and ready to meet the challenges ahead.

(John Schreiber)