Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Picked to Win Big Ten (08-26-03)
8/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- In the inaugural Big Ten Preseason Poll, the Indiana University men's team is the coaches' choice to win 2003 title, the League office announced on Monday. Since the inception of men's soccer in the Big Ten Conference in 1991, the Hoosiers have won nine conference regular season championships and nine tournament titles.
Penn State was picked to finish second in the poll and Michigan followed in third place. Ohio State and Michigan State tied for fourth while Wisconsin and Northwestern were chosen sixth and seventh, respectively. (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Purdue do not sponsor men's soccer as a varsity sport.)
The Hoosiers will open Big Ten play on Sept. 21, when the Michigan State Spartans visit Bloomington. IU hosts Penn State on Sept. 26 and then travels to Michigan on Oct. 5. The Hoosiers play at Wisconsin on Oct. 10 and at Northwestern two days later on Oct. 12. Ohio State visits Armstrong Stadium for IU's final Big Ten match of the regular season on Oct. 19.
Last season, Indiana won the Big Ten regular season championship with a perfect 6-0-0 record. Penn State, Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State all finished at 3-3, while Northwestern went 0-6.
Indiana enters this season with a 36-match conference regular season win streak and a 39-match unbeaten streak on the line.
Big Ten Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Indiana
2. Penn State
3. Michigan
4. Ohio State
Michigan State
6. Wisconsin
7. Northwestern
(Coaches were not allowed to rank their own team)
