RMAC Poll: Pack expected to do well

TO VIEW THE RMAC'S PRESEASON RELEASE, CLICK HERE

This is what happens when you make it to the brink of the NCAA Tournament - you're expected to keep it up, as the RMAC coaches declared Tuesday when the 2008 RMAC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll was released.

The ThunderWolves were picked to finish tied for third, behind defending conference-champion Fort Lewis and Metro State, the conference's two representatives in the NCAA Tournament last season.  Last season, the ThunderWolves had the second best record in the RMAC during the regular season, and finished their year in the RMAC Championship game.

"Back East, they call that 'fattening frogs for snakes,'" Maryland-native and CSU-Pueblo head coach, Dave Morris, quipped.  "We know we had a good year last year, but we have a lot of work to do to get back to that level this year.  It was great to be recognized for last year's accomplishments, but the last time I checked, no trophies were ever won in the preseason."

Also recognized in the poll was junior midfielder Rikki Warmack, who was an unanimous pick for the preseason all-RMAC team, one of only three players in the conference to be a unanimous pick.  She was the only ThunderWolf to be recognized on the 11-member team, which consists largely of players from Metro State and Fort Lewis.

The ThunderWolves will get their first shot to live up to the heightened expectations on Aug. 29 when they open their season against Augustana (S.D.) College at Rawlings Field on the CSU-Pueblo campus.