Aug. 17, 2007

BOCA RATON, FL (August 16, 2007) - Head Coach Brian Dooley and the Florida Atlantic University women's soccer team were predicted to finish in fourth-place in the head coaches' preseason poll, the Sun Belt Conference office announced on Thursday. The Owls also received one first-place vote.

The Owls received 104 points in the poll, behind the 2006 conference champion Denver's 139 points and the 125 points of Middle Tennessee and North Texas.

In addition, senior forward Susanna Lehtinen and junior defender Janeke Simpkins were named to the 2007 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team. Both players received Second-Team All-Sun Belt honors last season for their efforts during the 2006 season that saw FAU reach the semi-finals of the conference tournament.

Lehtinen, an Espoo, Finland native, is just one point shy of FAU's career points record. With just two points this season, she will surpass Denise Brolly's career record of 64 points.

This is the second-straight year that the duo earned Preseason All-Sun Belt honors. Both also received the honor last year, FAU's first in the Sun Belt after moving from the Atlantic Sun. In 2005, Simpkins and Lehtinen were both named First-Team All-A-Sun, and Lehtinen was named the A-Sun Player of the Year.

Lehtinen earned Preseason All-Conference honors for the second year in a row.

The Owls finished fourth in the conference standings during the 2006 regular season with a record of 7-4-0 in SBC play, 11-8-2 overall. Lehtinen finished the year with five goals and eight assists, and Simpkins provided a dominant defensive presence for all 21 games.

Simpkins has provided FAU with a dominant defensive presence during her time as an Owl.

The Owls open up 2007 as part of the San Diego State Tournament, facing UC-Riverside on August 31 at 4 p.m., ET.