College Women’S Soccer

Washington State

Coach: Dan Tobias (third year).

1999 record: 7-12-0 overall; 1-8-0 for ninth in Pacific-10 Conference. Record at WSU: 13-22-3

Assistant coaches: Curtis McAlister, Wendy Jones.

Key losses: MF Christina Pallan, D Meagin Donovan, D Kristin Mak.

Players to watch: Sr. F Deka DeWitt, Jr. GK Lindsey Jorgensen, Jr. M/D Liz Duncan, So. F/M Katrina Stroh.

Key newcomers: Fr. M Rachel Rodrick, Fr. M/F Kim Morgan, Fr. D Shay Hobby, Fr. M/D Katelin Jackson.

Corner kicks: WSU opened the season with a 3-2 overtime win over Utah, followed by a 3-0 loss to BYU. Next up is the U.S. Naval Academy tournament this weekend in Annapolis, Md…. WSU returned eight starters off last year’s team and has added nine freshmen… The team has nine home matches, six straight at Cougar Soccer Field from Sept. 22 to Oct. 8…. WSU’s all-time soccer record is 96-91-14 and its only NCAA Tournament appearance was 1994.

Outlook: UCLA is the coaches’ choice to win the conference, followed by Stanford, USC and Cal - all NCAA Tournament teams last year. The rest of predictions: ASU, Washington, Oregon, OSU, Washington State and Arizona. But look for the Huskies to be up there. By beating No. 2 Santa Clara and No. 18 BYU, UW checked in at No. 15 in the SoccerTimes poll.

Idaho

Coach: Larry Foster (third year).

1999 record: 9-8-2 overall; 2-6-1 last place in Big West Conference. Record at Idaho: 13-21-2.

Assistant coaches: Steve Crum, Arby Busey, Suzanne Conway.

Key losses: F Jenny Frazier.

Players to watch: Jr. F Megan Cummings, Sr. F Andy King, Sr. D Tiffany Jensen.

Key newcomers:Fr. M Emily Nelson, Fr. D Jamie Lewis, Fr. D Stephanie Burgmeier.

Corner kicks: The Vandals, on the road for the first six matches, began the season 1-3… . . Head coach Foster has pneumonia and will not be back for several days… . Frazier, who would have been a junior, decided not to return because of back injuries… . Freshman Nelson already has been named conference player of the week this year, scoring four goals and an assist.

Outlook: The Vandals are the only conference team to return their entire lineup, but still were picked to finish last. Defending champion Cal Poly is expected to repeat.The Mustangs return eight starters. The poll order: Cal Poly, Pacific, UCSB, UC Irvine, Long Beach State, Utah State, Cal State Fullerton, Boise State and Idaho.

Eastern Washington

Coach: George Hageage (first year).

EWU 1999 record: 1-17-0 overall; 0-7-0 last place Big Sky Conference.

Assistant coaches: Tamara Hageage.

Key losses: F Caryn Noel, MF Lora Auch.

Players to watch: Jr. F Kyla Hamilton, Sr. MF Katie Bowers, Jr. F Deszeray Dougherty.

Key newcomers: Fr. Holly Rushing, Fr. Kristen Brehm.

Corner kicks: The Eagles (1-4) already have matched last year’s overall wins and surpassed their conference wins by defeating Portland State on Monday… . Hageage believes it will take three wins to get into the conference tournament, which is within reach.

Outlook: For the fourth straight year, Montana was predicted to win the Big Sky Conference. The rest of the predictions: Cal State Northridge, Weber State, NAU, Sacramento State, Idaho State, Portland State and Eastern.

Gonzaga University

Coach: Shannon Stiles (second year)

1999 record:7-13-0 overall; 1-6-0 seventh place in West Coast Conference. Record at Gonzaga: 7-13-0.

Assistant coaches: Kim Stiles, Craig Hampton, Josh Fouts.

Players to watch: Sr. F Sara Streufert, Sr. F/M Katie Carpenter, So. F Clare Whitfield.

Key newcomers: Fr. C/M Walker Loseno, Fr. M Amber Richart, Fr. D Kelly Leffel.

Corner kicks: The Bulldogs lost their first two games this season before beating Division III Whitman 10-0. They’re at OSU Friday and Eastern Washington on Sunday… . Walker and Richart played for F.C. Royals, a top soccer club from Tacoma… . Streufert, a U-Hi grad, ranks as the school career leader in goals, assists, points and shots on goal.

Outlook: The eight head coaches in the WCC predicted GU will finish seventh. Santa Clara is expected to win. The poll: SCU, Portland, Loyola Marymount, San Diego, Saint Mary’s, Pepperdine, Gonzaga, San Francisco.

Whitworth College

Coach:Sean Bushey (fourth year).

Assistant coaches: Erik Bushey, Jennifer Tissue.

1999 record: 9-8-1 overall; 7-6-1 third place in Northwest Conference. Record at Whitworth: 25-29-4.

Key losses: F Jennifer Dunford, MF Heidi Bohnett, MF Suzanne Boyce, F Lehua Kay.

Players to watch: Sr. GK Stacey Roberts, So. D Dalyce Young, Jr. M Grace Grabner, So. D Carly Sullivan.

Key newcomers: Fr. F Heather Sale, Fr. MF Mary Hultgrenn, Fr. D Erin Palm.

Corner kicks: The Pirates moved to their new 120x75-yard field which is an international size playing field… The top four goal scorers, who scored 16 of 19 goals last year, graduated…. Bushey is starting as many as four freshmen, including 1999 all-GSL forward Sale of U-Hi… . Roberts, a West Valley grad, had a 1.02 goals against average last year.

Outlook: Willamette, which has won or tied for seven previous NWC titles, is a narrow choice to repeat as champs over Puget Sound. Whitworth is picked third, followed by Pacific Lutheran, George Fox, Pacific, Linfield and Whitman.

Community Colleges of Spokane

Coach: Cor Van der Meer (12th year).

1999 record: 14-8-3 overall; 13-7-2 for second place in NWAACC Northeast Division. Record at CCS: 101-43-17.

Assistant coaches: Jenn Barrett, Krisha Kerr.

Key losses: MF Jill Elwell, MF Christine Rehwald.

Players to watch: So. F Natahsa Opsal, So. GK Jessica Froelich, So. S Tanya Birchler

Key newcomers: Fr. MF Carly Jenkins.

Corner kicks: CCS is off to a 1-1 start…. The Sasquatch are coming off a second-place finish in the NWAACC, losing to Columbia Basin College in the championship game… . Highly regarded recruit Jenkins played for Montana ODP.

Outlook: Look for CCS, Columbia Basin and NIC to be the best in the division.