University of Massachusets Athletics
A-10 Coaches Forecast Fall Season
August 23, 2004 | Men's Cross Country
Aug. 23, 2004
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Atlantic 10 has announced its preseason polls as voted upon by the conference's coaches. The men's cross country team was picked sixth, the women's cross country team eighth, the field hockey team fourth, the women's soccer team 10th and the men's soccer team seventh. UMass will host two conference championships this fall. The field hockey championship will be held at Garber Field Nov. 5-6. That same weekend, Nov. 4-7, Rudd Field will play host to the women's soccer championship. After finishing seventh last year, Ken O'Brien's men's cross country team has been picked sixth. O'Brien is now in his 38th year at UMass and the Minutemen will be looking for their first title since 1995.Julie LaFreniere's women's cross country team has been selected eighth this year. They finished ninth last season. She is in her 18th season at UMass and will be looking to guide the Minutewomen to their first title since 1999. From 1991-1999, UMass captured seven titles. The 2004 Atlantic 10 Cross Country Championship will be at Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pa. La Salle was picked to win the men's title. Saint Joseph's is second, followed by Duquesne, Richmond, Dayton, UMass, George Washington, Xavier, Rhode Island, Fordham and St. Bonaventure. On the women's side, the coaches picked Richmond as No. 1, followed by Rhode Island, La Salle, Saint Joseph's, Duquesne, George Washington, Dayton, UMass, Fordham, Xavier and St. Bonaventure. After missing the A-10 Tournament for the first time in school history, Patty Shea's field hockey team has been picked to finish fourth. The Minutewomen were 4-15 overall and 2-4 in league play last year, but have won nine Atlantic 10 Championships. The Minutewomen will look to end Richmond's run of two straight titles when the championship will be played at Garber Field, Nov. 5-6. The Spiders were picked to finish first, followed by Temple, Saint Joseph's, UMass, La Salle, West Chester and Rhode Island. Shea has won the A-10 title in five of her seven years at UMass. Jim Rudy's women's soccer team has been selected to finish 10th. The Minutewomen were 4-12-1 overall and 3-8 in league play last year. Rudy is in his 17th year at UMass and ranks in the top 20 nationally in both wins and winning percentage. Dayton was picked to win the league, followed by Richmond, Rhode Island, George Washington, Xavier, Saint Joseph's, Fordham, Duquesne, La Salle, UMass, Temple and St. Bonaventure. The Minutewomen will host the 2004 A-10 Championship Nov. 4-7 at Rudd Field. Sam Koch's men's soccer team has been picked seventh this year. They were 11-7-1 overall and 5-5-1 in a wide open league last year. Dayton was picked to finish first, followed by Temple, Richmond, Rhode Island, Duquesne, George Washington, UMass, St. Bonaventure, Fordham, Xavier, La Salle and Saint Joseph's. Koch is in his 14th year at Massachusetts and has guided the Minutemen to eight A-10 tournament appearances and one title. The 2004 A-10 Men's Soccer Championship will be Nov. 11-14 in Washington, D.C.
