Aug. 27, 2010

Bay City, Mich. -

The head women's soccer coaches of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) selected Grand Valley State, defending league champions and national champions, to win the 2010 GLIAC North Division women's soccer title. GVSU claimed the top-spot with 25 points and five first place votes, outdistancing Saginaw Valley State by four points. Tiffin was notched to win the South Division, earning three first place votes, finishing three points ahead of both Ashland and Findlay, which tied with 11 points. The No. 1 Lakers will open the season at home on Sept. 3 against Winona State at 4:00 p.m.

Grand Valley State is a five-time defending league champion and won the GLIAC women's soccer tournament the last three seasons. GVSU won the program's first NCAA Division II National Championship last season under head coach David DiIanni and finished the year undefeated in conference play (13-0-1) and overall (22-0-4).

GLIAC women's soccer teams open play on Thursday, Sept. 2 with conference play beginning Wednesday, Sept. 8. The 2010 GLIAC Women's Soccer Tournament will begin with quarterfinals on Nov. 2 on campus sites, with the semifinals and final held on Nov. 5 & 7 on the campus of the No. 1 seed.

The league's 11 head coaches participated in the balloting, but were not allowed to vote for their team.

2010 GLIAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll

School (first-place votes) Points

North Division

1. Grand Valley State (5) 25

2. Saginaw Valley State (1) 21

3. Northern Michigan 15

3. Northwood 15

5. Ferris State 9

6. Michigan Tech 5

1. Tiffin (3) 14

2. Ashland 11

2. Findlay (1) 11

4. Ohio Dominican (1) 9

5. Lake Erie 5