By The TimesLedger
The St. John’s University men’s and women’s soccer teams were picked to finish second and seventh, respectively, according to a preseason poll of Big East Conference coaches, the school announced this week.
The defending Big East Tournament champions and 2001 Final Four participant men’s team was picked to finish second in the conference this year, just behind the University of Connecticut, in preseason selections released by the conference last Thursday. Each coach votes for every team but his own, with 12 points given for first place, 11 for second, etc.
Connecticut received eight first place votes and was picked to win the conference for the third straight year, tallying 139 votes. The Red Storm received four first place votes and received 132 points. Notre Dame (119), Rutgers (116), Boston College (99), Seton Hall (85), Syracuse (79), Georgetown (73), Virginia Tech (55), Pittsburgh (37), West Virginia (35), Villanova (30) and Providence (15) rounded out the voting. In addition, the Red Storm was picked third nationally in preseason rankings done by CollegeSoccerNews.com, trailing only Indiana and Stanford.
In addition, St. John’s junior defender Chris Wingert, of Babylon, N.Y., was named the conference’s preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Wingert, a first team all-conference selection last year, finished fourth on the team in scoring with six goals and 12 points. One of the team’s captains last year, Wingert was selected to the U-23 National Team following the season and spent this summer playing with the Chicago Fire’s PDL team.
The Red Storm, which finished 17-3-3 overall last season, returns nine starters from a team that won the program’s 10th Big East Conference championship last year and reached the Final Four for the second time since winning the NCAA National Championship in 1996.
Wingert was the lone St. John’s player selected to the conference’s preseason team, which included Rutgers senior back Guy Abrahamson, Notre Dame senior forward Erich Braun, Connecticut senior midfielder Anthony Curtis, Notre Dame junior midfielder Justin Detter, Rutgers senior forward Sherif El Bialy, Syracuse junior forward Kirk Johnson, Seton Hall junior midfielder Ryan McGowan, Boston College sophomore back Guy Melamed, Notre Dame sophomore goalkeeper Chris Sawyer and Boston College senior forward Casey Schmidt. Wingert was the lone unanimous selection on the all-conference team.
Schmidt was named preseason offensive player of the year, while Notre Dame’s Sawyer earned goalkeeping honors.
The Red Storm begin the defense of their conference title and quest for the 2002 NCAA Championship on Sunday, Sept. 1, when they play at Boston College.
St. John’s will begin play at its new home this year, the 2,300-seat, state-of-the-art Belson Stadium. The Red Storm’s first home game is scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 6-7, when they will host the College of William & Mary, Florida International and national power Indiana at the St. John’s Nike Tournament.
The St. John’s women’s soccer team was picked to finish seventh in the Big East Northeast division in a preseason poll voted on by the conference coaches. St. John’s, coming off a fourth place finish (6-11-0 overall, 3-3 Big East) in 2001 and the programs second Big East Tournament appearance, received 26 points in the voting. Connecticut was picked to repeat as Northeast division champions, and Notre Dame was selected in the Mid-Atlantic division.
The 2002 Red Storm women’s soccer team is a solid mix of veterans and newcomers. St. John’s returns 13 letter winners and Head Coach Ian Stone recruited a freshman class of eight players that was ranked 13th in the Northeast by Soccer Buzz Magazine. The team looks to improve on last years Big East Tournament appearance and qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the programs history.
Anchoring the defense is senior captain Jen Taylor, of South Hempstead, N.Y., who played a key role in the Red Storm’s four shutouts in 2001. In goal, senior Tina Fogg, of Warwick, R.I., needs one more victory and shutout to become the All-time winningest goalie in St. John’s women’s soccer history.
On offense, seniors Erin Zambelli, of Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y., who led the team in scoring with seven goals and two assists in 2001, Staten Island’s Joanna Dawson and Heather Cook, of Seattle, Wash., will provide the scoring upfront for St. John’s.
St. John’s kicks off its regular season on Wednesday, Sept. 3 when they play host to Fordham. The Red Storm begins Big East conference play on Friday, Sept. 20, when they travel to Providence to take on the Friars.
