Pack gets no love in preseason poll

ThunderWolves picked last for first time since 1994.

Related: RMAC Women's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll (Aug. 19, 2011)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (GoThunderWolves.com - Aug. 19, 2011) - For the first time since 1994, CSU-Pueblo has been picked to finish last in its conference, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference announced in its Preseason Coaches' Poll released Friday.

CSU-Pueblo, which finished 5-12-1 last season, was 10th place in the 11-team RMAC in 2010.  RMAC coaches evidently expect an even bigger dropoff in 2011, but CSU-Pueblo head coach Janet Cassidy said a last place pick in the preseason poll is usually what coaches hope for every year.

"We like getting picked last," Cassidy said.  "It means people have no respect for us.  It means we're flying under the radar.  It's the kind of thing that inspires your team, because nobody wants to be thought of as the worst."

The ThunderWolves lost 10 players to graduation, including all-region selection and current student-assistant, Katie Thiebaut.  But a strong freshman class as well as several Division I transfers could make for a surprising year for the ThunderWolves.

"We're excited about our team," Cassidy said.  "We have some girls on our squad that looking really good right now and team is meshing nicely.  What I see on the field now is definitely not a last place team."

CSU-Pueblo will open its regular season Sept. 2 when it hosts Northern State at the Rawlings Soccer Complex.