Atlantic 10 Preseason Teams Release in PDF Format

PHILADELPHIA - The University of Dayton women's soccer program led the way with five selections - more than any other school - on the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference and All-Rookie Teams as chosen by the league's head coaches.

Seniors Mandi Bäck (North Olmsted, Ohio) and Colleen Gibson (Moreno Valley, Calif.), along with sophomore Kathleen Beljan (Hilliard, Ohio), were named to the 2009 Preseason All-Conference Team for the Flyers. Incoming UD freshmen Alexis Garcia (Brunswick, Ohio) and Colleen Williams (Titusville, N.J.) were selected to the 11-person Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Rookie Team.

"It's always great when people recognize the program's players," said Dayton head women's soccer coach Mike Tucker. "It's terrific that our current players are rewarded for their efforts and then the anticipation of the newcomers gives us reason to say we're in good shape as a team. More important is where we are as a team at the end of the season."

Bäck, a three-time First Team Atlantic 10 selection, has led the Flyers in scoring every year of her career. She has 29 career goals, and is coming off a season in which she was named All-Ohio Player of the Year and selected to the A-10 All-Championship Team. She tallied 14 goals in 2007 en route to being named the Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year. As a freshman she was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie, All-Championship and First Teams. She was has also been a Soccer Buzz and NSCAA/adidas All-Great Lakes Region selection every season.

Gibson led UD with nine assists in 2008 and her .50 per game was 26th best in the nation. She earned First Team All-Atlantic 10 and All-Ohio selections and was named a Second Team NSCAA/adidas All-Great Lake Region pick.

Beljan turned in a stellar rookie campaign as a defender for the Flyers. She was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Championship, All-Rookie and Second Teams. The awards didn't stop there as she was honored by SoccerBuzz.com on the Division I Freshman All-America Fourth Team and Great Lakes Region All-Freshman Team and by OCSA as a First Team All-Ohio defender.

Garcia, an attacking midfielder, was a member of the U.S. National Youth Team in 2004 and 2007. She led Walsh Jesuit to four consecutive Regional finals, including the 2006 Division I State and National Championships.

Williams, also a midfielder, was a member of the 2005 U.S. National Team. She has competed for three national championships, winning the title with her New Jersey ODP team in 2006. She was named the 2008 conference Player of the Year after registering 25 goals and 19 assists for Hopewell Valley Central.

Dayton lost just four players from a squad that finished the 2008 campaign with a 15-6-1 record and advanced to the Atlantic 10 Championship for a league-record 13th consecutive time.

UD's first action will be an exhibition match against Louisville on Saturday, Aug. 15 at Baujan Field at 2 p.m. ET.