Two Blue Raiders named to Preseason All-SBC team

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee landed two players on the 2007 Preseason All-Sun Belt team, and the Blue Raiders were picked second with North Texas in a vote of the league's 12 head coaches.

Blue Raider senior forward Kala Morgan and senior defender Ingrid Christensen were selected to the All-SBC team, while the Middle Tennessee soccer team is once again expected to contend for what coaches believe will be a tight race for the league title.

Middle Tennessee received two of 12 first-place votes and tallied 125 points to tie with North Texas for second in the 2007 Preseason Coaches Poll. Defending champion Denver received eight first-place votes and 139 points to lead the balloting.

"The poll shows how competitive and deep our league is," said Middle Tennessee coach Aston Rhoden. "It is certainly an honor for our players and our program to be recognized by the league coaches, but our players understand it is a preseason poll and has no bearing on what will transpire this season and has nothing to do with our goals for this season."

Morgan was a first-team All-SBC selection last season after leading the Sun Belt in points (52) and goals (21). She ranked second nationally for points per game and third nationally for goals per game. Morgan set the Middle Tennessee single-season records in both categories and was named NSCAA National Player of the Week, Oct. 18, as well as earning Sun Belt Player of the Week honors twice.

Christensen was the SBC's Newcomer of the Year in 2005, as well as a first-team All-SBC selection as a defender. The Blue Raiders have been among the most difficult teams in the league to score on during the past two seasons with Christensen helping man the defense. The only returning starter in Middle Tennessee's defense in 2007, Christensen will be heavily relied upon to lead the back line.

Middle Tennessee also received votes in the Soccer Buzz Preseason Central Region poll and is listed among the top 18 teams in the region.

2007 Preseason Coaches Poll
(First place votes in parenthesis)
1 Denver (8) 139
T2 Middle Tennessee (2) 125
T2 North Texas (1) 125
4 Florida Atlantic (1) 104
5 Western Kentucky 98
6 Louisiana-Lafayette 83
7 South Alabama 68
8 UALR 52
9 Florida International 51
10 Arkansas State 37
11 Louisiana-Monroe 36
12 Troy 18

2007 Preseason All-SBC Team
Susanna Lehtinen (Florida Atlantic, F, Sr.)
Kala Morgan (Middle Tennessee, F, Sr.)
Heather Hutyra (North Texas, F, Sr.)
Jenna Billingsley (Denver, MF, Sr.)
Taryn Hemmings (Denver, MF, Sr.)
Kendall Juett (North Texas, MF, So.)
Jessica Keller (Denver, D, Jr.)
Janeke Simpkins (Florida Atlantic, D, Jr.)
Ingrid Christensen (Middle Tennessee, D, Sr.)
Sam Slover (South Alabama, D, So.)
Kandice Ellis (North Texas, GK, Sr.)