July 8, 2008

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Saint Louis teammates Calum Angus and Kyle Patterson, the Conference's reigning men's soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, and forward Mandi Bäck of Dayton, the 2007 Atlantic 10 women's soccer Offensive Player of the Year, highlight the 2008 A-10 preseason soccer All-Conference teams, as selected by the league's head coaches.

Patterson finished second in the A-10 in goals (10) and third in points (24) while being tabbed an All-Region first-team honoree by the NSCAA. A second-team NSCAA All-America selection and third-team honoree by College Soccer News, Angus anchored a Saint Louis backline that yielded just 13 goals and registered nine shutouts in 19 matches. The Billikens' 0.64 goals against average ranked 12th in the nation and they finished No. 12 in the final NSCAA coaches' poll.

Also highlighting the men's preseason All-Conference team is Massachusetts senior goalkeeper Zack Simmons, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 Atlantic 10 Championship and the Umbro/Soccer News Net National Player of the Year. Simmons posted nine shutouts and a 0.79 goals against average en route to earning All-Conference first-team honors as well as NSCAA/Adidas All-America third-team distinction in leading the Minutemen to the semifinals of the 2007 NCAA College Cup.

Angus, Patterson and Simmons are joined on the preseason team by 2007 first-team All-Conference selections Chris Salvaggione (8 goals, 9 assists, 25 points), a senior forward from Charlotte, Saint Louis senior midfielder Denaldin Hamzagic (5 goals, 4 assists, 14 points), senior back John Pardini (2 goals, 1 assist, 5 points) of Fordham and Dayton junior midfielder Alex Torda (6 goals, 5 assists, 17 points).

Second-team all-league recipients on this year's preseason All-Conference team are George Washington junior forward Andrew Stadler (7 goals, 6 assists, 20 points) and senior midfielder Mike DeSantis (4 goals, 0 assists, 8 points) of Massachusetts, while UMass junior forward Bryan Hogan (8 goals, 2 assists, 18 points) garnered honorable mention a year ago. Rounding out the preseason men's All-Conference team is senior back Chris Brown (2 goals, 2 assists, 6 points) of Massachusetts.

Bäck ranked second in the A-10 in goals (14) and points (30) a year ago, while her five game-winning tallies and 101 shots were both tops in the league. The two-time All-Conference first-team honoree enters her junior campaign with career totals of 21 goals, four assists and 46 points.

Richmond senior midfielder Jessie Wolfe joins Bäck as members of last year's All-Conference first-team who earned preseason honors this year. Wolfe led the Spiders in goals (five) and points (12) and was named to the 2007 All-Championship team as UR advanced to the A-10 Championship for the first time since 2004.

Senior forward Kim Boulos (6 goals, 0 assists, 12 points) of Fordham, Saint Louis junior forward Julia Bradenberg (3 goals, 3 assists, 9 points), junior midfielder Traci DePasquale (11 goals, 6 assists, 28 points) of La Salle, Fordham sophomore midfielder Katie McDermott (4 goals, 2 assists, 10 points), sophomore back Whitney Bryant (1 goal, 0 assists, 2 points) of Charlotte, Fordham junior back Courtney Fedge (2 goals, 3 assists, 7 points) and junior goalie Lauren Brown (0.78 gaa, .823 save %, 16-5-1 record) of Charlotte join Bäck and Wolfe on the preseason All-Conference team after garnering second-team distinction last year. Charlotte sophomore midfielder Sam Huecker (6 goals, 6 assists, 18 points), who earned honorable mention a year ago, and senior back Shannon Rengers (5 goals, 3 assists, 13 points) of Duquesne round out the preseason All-Conference team.

The 2008 A-10 Men's Soccer Championship will take place Nov. 13-16 at Duquesne's Rooney Field.Nov. 6-9 while the A-10 Women's Soccer Championship will be held Nov. 6-9 at at Robert R. Hermann Stadium on the campus of Saint Louis University.