A year removed from its first Mid-American Conference championship, the Ball State University women's soccer team was predicted to repeat as the champions by the MAC coaches.
In the preseason rankings, the coaches also predicted Ball State to win the conference tournament. The Cardinals have not won the MAC tournament in the program's eight year history.
"Going through the MAC and meeting the coaches, I think they have a lot of respect for myself and the program," Michelle Salmon, head coach, said. "They respect the team a great deal, and that's really what that ranking is. It's the respect and admiration that they're now giving Ball State that they haven't given Ball State in the past."
Salmon led Ball State to its first regular season championship in her first year with the Cardinals.
Ball State has eight starters and 17 letterwinners returning from the championship team.
"It's a great honor to have all the other coaches and all the other teams respect us and realize that we have a great team," senior Lindsay Martin said. "But at the same time we think of it no differently. We are going to go into the season whether we are ranked first or in last place It's not going to phase us."
Prior to being named the MAC favorite this season, Ball State's highest preseason ranking was fifth in 2005. Ball State exceeded the 2005 expectations and finished second in the MAC behind Bowling Green State University.
It does not matter where the team is ranked during the preseason because the last few years the Cardinals were ranked low and did well, senior Laura Bandy said. The ranking does put a target on Ball State's back and creates motivation, she said.
"I think there is definitely more motivation this year, because we were on top last year, and we want to stay on top," Bandy said.
Ball State is also receiving national attention this season. Soccerbuzz.com ranked the Cardinals 13th in the Great Lakes region, which includes 55 teams. Ball State is the lone MAC team in the rankings.
The Cardinals were ranked 13th in the preseason poll last year and finished 14th in the region.
"The rankings I think are great for the university, it's great for the soccer program, it's great for the athletic department, but it doesn't change or approach nor does it change or mentality about what we want to accomplish this season," Salmon said.
Salmon said she had a good idea Ball State would be ranked first in the preseason standings. Ball State is excited for the challenge, she said.
"We're going to see everyone's best game and that is a true compliment, but when we see everyone's best game, remember that is when we play our best soccer," Salmon said. "We love seeing everyone's best game because we rise to the occasion."
At Ball State's first scrimmage Saturday, 278 fans watched the Cardinals defeat IUPUI 6-0. Salmon said she was happy with the attendance and thinks that more people in Muncie will soon be hearing about the soccer team.
"I've been out in the community all summer talking to fans of Ball State and supporters of Ball State soccer, and I keep telling them that we are the best kept secret in Muncie and that we are probably not going to be the best kept secret for long," Salmon said.
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