Men's Soccer

August 22, 2005

OLYMPIA, Wash.-- The reigning NAIA Region I champion Evergreen State College men's soccer team was picked to finish third among Cascade Collegiate Conference teams this fall by conference coaches. The Geoducks, who topped the region for the first time in the program's history last fall received one first place vote, but trailed Concordia University and Warner Pacific College in the coaches' poll.

Evergreen lost the services of their all-time goal-scoring leader with the departure of Joe Gjertsen who played this past summer for the Vancouver Whitecaps. Gjertsen led the conference last fall with 23 goals and garnered All-America honors at the season's end. The Geoducks will also need to replace the conference's second-leading goal-scorer, Nathan Ford and the team's top assist man Jason Gjertsen. The three seniors accounted for 42 of the team's 56 goals and 16 of 26 assists.

All-Conference players Greg Preciado, Zephyr Titus and Dan Jones return to lead the Geoducks who will rely on a highly touted incoming class in their quest to reach the NAIA National Tournament in back-to-back seasons.

The Geoducks open the 2005 season against Morningside College of Sioux City, Iowa at home on August 23rd . Kickoff is at 6:00 pm.

Soccer - Men's

No.	School (1st Place votes)	Points
1.	Concordia University (4)	34
2.	Warner Pacific College	26
3.	The Evergreen State College (1)	24
4.	Albertson College	22
5.	Corban College	18
6.	Northwest University	11
7.	Cascade College	5
	Did not report: Corban, Warner Pacific