Drutchas and Flink Named Preseason All-League; Davidson Picked 4th by SoCon Coaches
8/18/2010 12:21:32 PM | Women's Soccer
Gavin McFarlin -- Assistant SID
DAVIDSON, N.C. — Fresh off winning its fourth Southern Conference Tournament Title and making its first trip to the NCAA Tournament, the Davidson women's soccer team was picked to finish fourth as voted on by the league coaches today, Aug. 18. The Wildcats also placed a pair of players on the 11-member preseason all-conference team as seniors Allison Drutchas (Bloomfield, Mich.) and Amanda Flink (Richardson, Texas) were each named to the team.
UNCG received nine first-place votes and was again tabbed the preseason favorite to win the SoCon regular-season championship. The Spartans are looking for their fifth consecutive SoCon regular-season crown, which would equal the longest such streak in league history.
Samford, which tied for second in the regular season a year ago, was predicted to finish as runner-up again in 2010 while capturing a pair of first-place nods. Coming in third place in the preseason poll was College of Charleston with 95 total points, while Davidson, the league tournament champion, claimed the final first-place vote and 93 total points to earn the fourth slot in the preseason.
The 2010 SoCon Women's Soccer Championship will feature the top-eight teams in the final regular season standings with the final four facing off in Cullowhee, N.C. on Nov. 5 and 7.
The Wildcats enter the 2010 campaign after finishing 12-10-1 a year ago, including a 7-3-1 mark in league play, which placed them fourth overall. It was the sixth straight season they have reached the 10-win plateau, all under the guidance of head coach Greg Ashton, who is 73-42-10 in his tenure at Davidson.
The 'Cats return 16 letterwinners, with seven of those being starters including Drutchas and Flink. Drutchas, one of three captains this year, will look to replace some of the scoring lost by the graduation of three-time first-team all-league member Kyri Bye-Nagel, who led the team with eight goals, five assists and 21 points last year. As a junior, Drutchas had a breakout campaign with career bests in starts (21), shots (52), goals (3) and points (8).
Flink, also a captain this season, will anchor a defense that shutout both No. 1-seeded UNCG and No. 2-seeded College of Charleston in the conference tournament, and finished with eight shutouts overall, two off the school record. Like Drutchas, Flink had an outstanding junior season, one in which saw her earn SoCon Tournament MVP honors after heading in the game-winning goal vs. CofC in the?SoCon finals. In addition, she was named to the all-tournament team, and earned spots on the all-state team and All-SoCon Second Team.
The junior will also look to provide a spark on the offensive side as well after tying Drutchas with three goals, matching her career-high. Over the last three years, Flink has started 58 of her 62 games.
Davidson opens up the 2010 season at home against UNC Wilmington this Sunday, Aug. 22, at 2 p.m.
2010 Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. UNCG (9) —119
2. Samford (2) —107
3. College of Charleston — 95
4. Davidson (1) — 93
5. Elon — 85
6. Furman — 71
7. Western Carolina — 57
8. Appalachian State — 49
9. Chattanooga — 36
10. The Citadel — 34
11. Wofford — 31
12. Georgia Southern — 15
2010 Preseason All-SoCon Team
F Tabitha Padgett, UNCG
F Donna-Kay Henry, Chattanooga
F Martha Hall, Furman
MF Jenn Partenheimer, UNCG
MF Nicole Danford, UNCG
MF Allison Drutchas, Davidson
D Claire O'Keefe, Elon
D Cat Barnekow, UNCG
D Annie Pease, College of Charleston
D Amanda Flink, Davidson
GK Alyssa Whitehead, Samford
UNCG received nine first-place votes and was again tabbed the preseason favorite to win the SoCon regular-season championship. The Spartans are looking for their fifth consecutive SoCon regular-season crown, which would equal the longest such streak in league history.
Samford, which tied for second in the regular season a year ago, was predicted to finish as runner-up again in 2010 while capturing a pair of first-place nods. Coming in third place in the preseason poll was College of Charleston with 95 total points, while Davidson, the league tournament champion, claimed the final first-place vote and 93 total points to earn the fourth slot in the preseason.
The 2010 SoCon Women's Soccer Championship will feature the top-eight teams in the final regular season standings with the final four facing off in Cullowhee, N.C. on Nov. 5 and 7.
The Wildcats enter the 2010 campaign after finishing 12-10-1 a year ago, including a 7-3-1 mark in league play, which placed them fourth overall. It was the sixth straight season they have reached the 10-win plateau, all under the guidance of head coach Greg Ashton, who is 73-42-10 in his tenure at Davidson.
The 'Cats return 16 letterwinners, with seven of those being starters including Drutchas and Flink. Drutchas, one of three captains this year, will look to replace some of the scoring lost by the graduation of three-time first-team all-league member Kyri Bye-Nagel, who led the team with eight goals, five assists and 21 points last year. As a junior, Drutchas had a breakout campaign with career bests in starts (21), shots (52), goals (3) and points (8).
Flink, also a captain this season, will anchor a defense that shutout both No. 1-seeded UNCG and No. 2-seeded College of Charleston in the conference tournament, and finished with eight shutouts overall, two off the school record. Like Drutchas, Flink had an outstanding junior season, one in which saw her earn SoCon Tournament MVP honors after heading in the game-winning goal vs. CofC in the?SoCon finals. In addition, she was named to the all-tournament team, and earned spots on the all-state team and All-SoCon Second Team.
The junior will also look to provide a spark on the offensive side as well after tying Drutchas with three goals, matching her career-high. Over the last three years, Flink has started 58 of her 62 games.
Davidson opens up the 2010 season at home against UNC Wilmington this Sunday, Aug. 22, at 2 p.m.
2010 Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. UNCG (9) —119
2. Samford (2) —107
3. College of Charleston — 95
4. Davidson (1) — 93
5. Elon — 85
6. Furman — 71
7. Western Carolina — 57
8. Appalachian State — 49
9. Chattanooga — 36
10. The Citadel — 34
11. Wofford — 31
12. Georgia Southern — 15
2010 Preseason All-SoCon Team
F Tabitha Padgett, UNCG
F Donna-Kay Henry, Chattanooga
F Martha Hall, Furman
MF Jenn Partenheimer, UNCG
MF Nicole Danford, UNCG
MF Allison Drutchas, Davidson
D Claire O'Keefe, Elon
D Cat Barnekow, UNCG
D Annie Pease, College of Charleston
D Amanda Flink, Davidson
GK Alyssa Whitehead, Samford
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