Aug. 14, 2007

ROCK HILL, S.C.-- Carson-Newman College, which has won the South Atlantic Conference women's soccer championship for three out of the past four years, is the favorite to win the 2007 SAC championship in a vote of the league coaches, the conference office announced today.

The Lady Eagles, who won the regular-season and Food Lion SAC Tournament titles in 2006, received four first-place votes and 54 total votes.

Carson-Newman placed six on the preseason All-Conference team with midfielders Brittany Moore and Zarmena Kasparites and defender Julie Nelson named to the first team. Moore had four goals and four assists last season en route to first team All-Conference honors, while Kasparites had four goals. Nelson was also a first-team All-Conference pick last season.

Midfielder Megan Julian and defender Shea Kinzer joined forward Claire Ramsdale on the preseason All-Conference second team. Kinzer started 17 games for the Lady Eagles in 2006 and scored a goal while Julian scored four goals. Ramsdale returns for her senior season after missing all of 2006 due to injury.

The Lady Eagles will play an exhibition game at the University of Tennessee on Saturday, August 18 before hosting their regular season opener against King College on Thursday, August 23.