Marist is Top Choice to Win 2012 MAAC Women's Soccer Title
MAAC Sports
Edison, N.J. - Marist College, the defending MAAC Champion, is the early favorite to win the 2012 MAAC women's soccer title in a preseason poll voted on by the league's 10 head coaches.
Marist finished with 99 points in the poll, while Fairfield University took second place with 81 points. Loyola University Maryland was picked third with 80 points, and Niagara University finished in fourth place with 73 points. Siena College placed fifth (53), followed by Canisius College and Iona College (45), Rider University (41), Manhattan College (21), and Saint Peter's University (12).
Loyola senior forward Nichole Schiro was voted the 2012 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. Schiro, the 2011 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, recorded 13 goals and four assists for 30 points last season for the Greyhounds.
Joining Schiro at forward are Marist's Amanda Epstein and Rider's Abi Cottam. The midfielders are Nicole Stanton from Fairfield, Rycke Guiney from Marist and Caitlin Cahalan from Siena. The backs are anchored by Fairfield's Allison Walsh, Loyola's Kelsey Rene and Marist's Jessica Arabia and Chelsea Botta. Didi Haracic from Loyola rounds out the team at the goalkeeper position.
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2012 MAAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
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2012 MAAC Women's Soccer Preseason All-MAAC Team
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1.
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Marist
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99
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Name
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Position
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School
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2.
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Fairfield
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81
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Didi Haracic
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Goalkeeper
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Loyola
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3.
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Loyola
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80
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Allison Walsh
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Back
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Fairfield
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4.
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Niagara
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73
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Kelsey Rene
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Back
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Loyola
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5.
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Siena
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53
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Jessica Arabia
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Back
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Marist
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6.
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Canisius
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45
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Chelsea Botta
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Back
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Marist
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Iona
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45
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Nicole Stanton
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Midfield
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Fairfield
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8.
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Rider
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41
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Rycke Guiney
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Midfield
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Marist
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9.
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Manhattan
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21
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Caitlin Cahalan
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Midfield
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Siena
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10.
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Saint Peter's
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12
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Nichole Schiro
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Forward
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Loyola
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Amanda Epstein
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Forward
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Marist
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Abi Cottam
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Forward
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Rider
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2012 MAAC Women's Soccer Preseason Player of the Year: Nichole Schiro, Loyola
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