The Concordia women's soccer team was picked to finish tenth in the 2008 Great Plains Athletic Conference preseason coaches' poll. The Bulldogs finished the 2007 season 5-13 overall (3-9 GPAC). Points were assigned on a 12-1 basis and coaches could not vote for their own team. The Bulldogs received 53 points. The Morningside women, after posting a 17-3-1 season in 2007, was selected by the GPAC women's soccer coaches as the favorite for the 2008 GPAC women's soccer season.
The Mustang women, who advanced to the NAIA National Soccer Tournament for the second consecutive season, totaled 137 points and eight first place votes in the poll. Morningside was 11-0-1 in the league last year. Hastings College garnered 135 points and four first place votes and were picked second in the conference. Midland Lutheran totaled 118 points and claimed the other first place vote.
The 2008 schedule will consist of 12 league games as once again all 13 teams will compete for the conference crown. This year the GPAC will have two automatic berths to the national tournament under direct qualification. The GPAC regular season champion receives the first automatic berth. The GPAC tournament champion will earn the second bid, unless the tournament champion is also the regular season champion. In that case, the tournament runner-up will advance to the tournament.
Here is the complete 2008 GPAC Women's Preseason Soccer Poll:
Place | School | Points | First Place Votes |
1. | Morningside | 137 | 8 |
2. | Hastings | 135 | 4 |
3. | Midland Lutheran | 118 | 1 |
4. | Dana | 97 | |
5. | Dordt | 90 | |
6. | Nebraska Wesleyan | 83 | |
7. | Doane | 74 | |
8. | Northwestern | 73 | |
9. | Briar Cliff | 68 | |
10. | Concordia | 53 | |
11. | Sioux Falls | 47 | |
12. | Dakota Wesleyan | 26 | |
13. | Mount Marty | 13 | |