Titans Projected To Battle For WIAC Women's Soccer Title

UW-Oshkosh is predicted to give four-time defending champion UW-Whitewater a battle for the 2014 WIAC women's soccer championship, according to a preseason poll of the league's nine head coaches and sports information directors.

UW-Whitewater, which won all eight of its WIAC contests a year ago, is the choice to capture this year's title. Expected to follow the Warhawks in the standings are second-ranked UW-Oshkosh, third-ranked UW-Eau Claire and fourth-ranked UW-Stout.

Rounding out the projections are fifth-ranked UW-La Crosse, sixth-ranked UW-Platteville, seventh-ranked UW-River Falls, eighth-ranked UW-Stevens Point and ninth-ranked UW-Superior.

UW-Oshkosh returns 19 letter winners, including nine starters from last year's team that compiled an 11-8-2 record and finished second in the WIAC with a 6-2 mark. The Titans, who have marked just one losing season since 2000, suffered WIAC loses of 3-2 to UW-Whitewater and 2-1 to UW-Platteville a year ago. UW-Whitewater also posted a 1-0 win over UW-Oshkosh in the championship game of the WIAC Tournament.

Defender Anna Beckerleg, the reigning WIAC Defensive Player of the Year, is among five all-league performers returning for the Titans. The others are forward Amanda Baalke, midfielder Robyn Elliott and defenders Nicole Palmquist and Ashley Siewert. Baalke scored a team-leading five goals last season and ranked fourth in the WIAC with 17 points. In all, UW-Oshkosh returns 10 of its 12 players who scored a goal in 2013.

UW-Whitewater inherits nine starters from last year's squad that established a school record with 17 victories (17-1-4 record) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship. The Warhawks enter the 2014 season ranked 19th in the country by the NSCAA.

The top returnees for UW-Whitewater are forwards Jenna Woodson, the 2013 WIAC Offensive Player of the Year, and Brianna Reid and goalkeeper Jordan Myers. Woodson led the WIAC with 10 assists in 2013, while Reid scored a league-best 13 goals. Myers has 22 shutouts on her resume for a UW-Whitewater career best.

UW-Oshkosh opens its 2014 season with matches in Stevens Point against the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) on Aug. 29 and Concordia-Moorhead College (Minn.) on Aug. 30. The Titans' first home game is against the University of Chicago (Ill.) on Sept. 6. UW-Oshkosh's WIAC schedule begins with a home contest against UW-Stout on Sept. 27.

The Titans' first practice is scheduled for Aug. 16.