CHARLOTTE, N.C. (BigSouthSports.com) -Radford University's women's soccer team has been chosen first in the Big South Conference's annual preseason poll, as voted by the League's head women's soccer coaches.  In addition, the coaches voted Radford's goalkeeper Lisa Lubke the League's Preseason Player of the Year, it was announced today by the Big South office.

Radford, the defending 2008 Big South Tournament champions, received three first-place votes and 86 points to be picked the 2009 women's soccer favorite.  The Highlanders, led by Ben Sohrabi in his 14th year at Radford, finished just one point ahead of 2008 regular season champions Coastal Carolina in the poll as the Chanticleers finished with 85 points and three first-place votes.  Also garnering three first-place votes was Charleston Southern, who finished with 79 points in third place.  Fourth place in the poll went to High Point with 69 points, followed by Liberty with 56 points and one first-place vote.  Winthrop was sixth in the poll with 55 points, while VMI gathered 42 points.  UNC Asheville totaled 31 points for the eighth position just ahead of Gardner-Webb with 27 points.  Presbyterian finished in the 10th and final position in the poll with 20 points. 

Lubke, a sophomore from Columbus, Ohio, totaled 12 points in the preseason voting with four first-place votes as she returns after a very impressive freshman campaign.  In 2008, she helped the Highlanders to a 13-2-6 record in 20 starts while compiling an 85.5 save percentage and a 0.93 goals against average.  Lubke led the Big South in saves (118), save percentage (.855) and shutouts (6).  She spent most of 2008 in the top ten nationally in save percentage and finished 25th.  As a freshman, Lubke earned Big South First-Team All-Conference, All-Freshman, and All-Tournament honors. 

Coastal Carolina forward/midfielder Anna Tupy (five points, two first-place votes) and VMI defender Audrey Falconi (five points, one first-place vote) were runner-ups in the preseason voting, followed by High Point forward Laura Eldridge (three points, one first-place vote).

The 2009 Big South women's soccer season begins Friday, Aug. 21 with three games scheduled.  The women's soccer Conference Championship is slated for Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 5-8 at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C.  The top eight teams in the final regular-season standings will advance to the tournament.  Presbyterian is not eligible for postseason play as part of its transition to Division I.

2009 Big South Conference Preseason Women's Soccer Poll

Team (first place votes)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Points
Radford (3)                    3 4 1 1 -- 1 -- -- -- -- 86
Coastal Carolina (3)        3 2 2 3 -- -- -- -- -- -- 85
Charleston Southern (3)   3 2 1 1 2 -- 1 -- -- -- 79
High Point                      -- 1 4 3 -- 1 -- -- 1 -- 69
Liberty (1)                      1 -- 1 -- 3 2 1 2 -- -- 56
Winthrop                        -- 1 1 -- 2 2 4 -- -- -- 55
VMI                                -- -- -- 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 42
UNC Asheville                  -- -- -- -- 1 1 2 2 2 2 31
Gardner-Webb                 -- -- -- -- 1 1 -- 3 2 3 27
Presbyterian                    -- -- -- -- -- -- 1 2 3 4 20