Richardson, Texas-The University of the Ozarks men's soccer team was picked to finish eighth among American Southwest Conference teams for the 2013 season, it was announced by the conference office on Monday (Aug. 19) after a vote of the league's 11 head coaches and sports information directors.
Mississippi College, which went 13-5-3 overall (11-1-0 ASC) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Soccer Championship last season, totaled 229 points and 15 of the 22 possible first-place votes to be the favorite in the annual preseason poll. Head coach Kevin Johns’ Choctaws led the league with 52 goals last season – 12 more than any other team – en route to their first ASC title. Two-time conference champion Texas-Dallas, which went 12-5-1 overall (10-2-0 ASC) last season, was picked as the runner-up with 209 points and five first-place votes. The Comets will be under the direction of first-year head coach Jason Hirsch, who takes over for the retired Jack Peel. UTD reached the league title game last season.
Three-time ASC champion Texas-Tyler (11-6-1, 8-3-1 ASC) was predicted for a third-place finish with 205 points. Mary Hardin-Baylor (10-6-1, 8-3-1 ASC) received 180 points to land in the fourth-place spot. Hardin-Simmons (10-6-2, 7-4-1 ASC) had 164 points and picked up the remaining two first-place votes to be in the fifth position. HSU has won a record seven conference titles. Louisiana College (7-8-2, 4-6-2 ASC) had 118 points to round out what would be the league’s six teams to qualify for the ASC Championship Tournament. East Texas Baptist had 88 points to be the seventh-place pick. 2003 ASC champion Ozarks (83 pts.) was eighth, followed by Concordia Texas (71 pts.), Howard Payne (62 pts.) and LeTourneau (44 pts.).
The 2013 ASC season – the 18th in league history – begins as early as Aug. 30. The six-team, single elimination conference tournament is slated for Nov. 7-10 – with an off day on Nov. 9 – at the site of the regular season champion. An automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship will be on the line.
NOTES: In addition to Hirsch, new head coaches in the conference are Concordia Texas’ Corey Miller and East Texas Baptist’s Paul Grant. . . . Schreiner (8-10-0, 7-5-0 ASC) and Texas Lutheran (6-8-2, 4-6-2 ASC) are no longer members of the conference . . . . To talk about ASC Soccer on Twitter this season, use the hashtag: #ASCsoccer.
2013 ASC PRESEASON MEN’S SOCCER POLL
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors]
Team (first place votes)
1. Mississippi College (15)
2. Texas-Dallas (5)
3. Texas-Tyler
4. Mary Hardin-Baylor
5. Hardin-Simmons (2)
6. Louisiana College
7. East Texas Baptist
8. Ozarks
9. Concordia Texas
10. Howard Payne
11. LeTourneau
2013 ASC PRESEASON MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors]
Offensive Michael Darrow, F, Sr., Texas-Dallas
Defensive Enoch Shipman, D, Sr., Texas-Tyler
Topics: Athletics