Aug. 11, 2011

Newport News, Va. - The Atlantic 10 Conference announced coaches' predictions and the preseason All-Conference teams for women's soccer this afternoon with Fordham selected to finish sixth in the 14-team league, while freshman Maria Lorena Canicatti was named to the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Rookie team.

Dayton, Charlotte, and Richmond were picked as the top three teams in the league, followed by La Salle in fourth, St. Bonaventure in fifth, and Fordham is sixth. The rest of the league in descending order is Massachusetts (7th), Duquesne (8th), Saint Louis (9th), George Washington (10th), Rhode Island (11th), Saint Joseph's (12th), Xavier (13th), and Temple (14th).

The Rams return seven of 11 starters from a year ago, which includes a talented, young nucleus of players, led by seniors Michaela Murphy (2 assists) and Mariella Romano (4 goals, 11 points), and junior forward Annie Worden (1 goal, 2 assists).

The six-team A-10 Women's Soccer Championship will be held Nov. 3-6 at Baujan Field on the campus of the University of Dayton.

Canicatti was a Regional ODP player and a National Pool player since 2007, and attended the National Team training camp in Pomona, California in 2007. Her talent has kept her on the ENY State ODP team since 2005 and her club team, the Syosset Sting, have been State Cup Champions every year since 2008. Along with fellow incoming freshman Jessica Widmann, Canicatti helped her club make it to the finals of the 2010 US Youth Soccer U-17 National Championships.

In 2009, Canicatti was invited to the adidas Elite Soccer Program in Pomona, California, and, in 2010, she was one of four players from New York asked to play for the Region 1 team at the US Youth Soccer ODP girls Thanksgiving Inter-regionals in Florida.

2011 ATLANTIC 10 WOMEN'S SOCCER PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH (2010 overall record/A-10 record in parentheses)
1. Dayton (19-3-1/8-1-0)
2. Charlotte (16-5/8-1)
3. Richmond (7-9-2/4-4-1)
4. La Salle (11-9-2/4-4-1)
5. St. Bonaventure (12-9-0/5-4-0)
6. Fordham (8-10-1/4-4-1)
7. Massachusetts (8-11/5-4)
8. Duquesne (9-9-1/6-3-0)
9. Saint Louis (4-9-6/3-5-1)
10. George Washington (9-9-0/3-6-0)
11. Rhode Island (3-13-2/3-5-1)
12. Saint Joseph's (5-11-2/2-5-2)
13. Xavier (7-11/3-6)
14. Temple (6-12-1/1-7-1)