THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 20, 1994 TAG: 9408200369
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ABE GOLDBLATT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Virginia and North Carolina will continue to monopolize the NCAA Division I soccer championships this season, according to Soccer America's preseason top 20 polls.
Virginia is picked to win its fourth consecutive men's national championship, while the North Carolina women are favored to win a record ninth title in a row, according to the magazine's poll.
The Cavalier women, ranked No. 19 in the final 1993 poll, have moved up to No. 13 in the preseason poll.
William and Mary's men's and women's teams are nationally ranked as well. The Tribe men are No. 19, and the women's team, which has been in nine of the last 10 NCAA tournaments, is ranked No. 8.
James Madison's men are 10th, giving the Colonial Athletic Association three top 20 picks. William and Mary is also in the CAA.
SOCCER KICKS: William and Mary junior forward Natalie Neaton was named to the preseason women's All-American team. After only two seasons, she stands third on the school's all-time scoring list with 19. ... William and Mary is one of only three schools in the country to send both its men's and women's teams to the NCAA tournament for the past two years. Duke and Portland are the others. ... A highlight of the Tribe women's schedule is a home match with 7th-ranked Notre Dame on Sept. 14. The Lady Irish are coached by former Old Dominion coach Chris Petrucelli. ... Virginia's fourth-year defender Clint Peay and second-year midfielder Mike Fisher were named to the preseason All-American team. ... The Cavaliers will play six teams that are ranked in the top 20. They play at Davidson on Aug. 31 in an exhibition game with 12th-ranked San Francisco. ... Old Dominion, which has not appeared on Virginia's men's soccer schedule in several years, travels to U.Va. this season.
Soccer's top 20 men: 1. Virginia, 2. Indiana, 3. South Carolina, 4. North Carolina, 5. Rutgers, 6. Clemson, 7. Cal State-Fullerton, 8. UCLA, 9. Duke, 10. James Madison, 11. St. John's, 12. San Francisco, 13. Hartwick, 14. San Diego, 15. St. Louis, 16. Columbia, 17. Portland, 18. Wisconsin, 19. William and Mary, 20. Princeton.
Soccer's top 20 women: 1. North Carolina, 2. Portland, 3. Duke, 4. George Mason, 5. Santa Clara, 6. Stanford, 7. Notre Dame, 8. William and Mary, 9. Connecticut, 10 Southern Methodist, 11. Massachusetts, 12. Wisconsin, 13. Virginia, 14. Hartford, 15 Florida International, 16. Dartmouth, 17. Washington, 18. Maryland, 19. N.C. State, 20. Boston College.
A LOOK BACK: Forty years ago Washington and Lee stunned the athletic world when it canceled the 1954 season and announced it would no longer award athletic scholarships.
Washington and Lee, once a football power, played a junior varsity schedule in 1954 and resumed varsity play in 1955 against schools with similar athletic philosophies.
HONORS: The Colonial Athletic Association had a record 470 athletes post at least a 3.2 grade-point average with a varsity letter during the 1993-94 academic year to earn the designation of CAA Scholar Athlete.
Former Old Dominion basketball player Deanna Vander Plas received a $2,000 post-graduate scholarship along with American's George Markides (soccer), James Madison's Stephanie Herbert (track) and UNC Wilmington's Sheldon Plentovich (volleyball) and Paul Carney (soccer). The grants are funded by Richfood Inc., as part of the company's sponsorship of the CAA basketball tournament. by CNB