Aug. 22, 2003
The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team has received a No. 22 ranking in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Preseason Top-25 poll. It equals the highest ranking the Lobos received in the 2002 season. New Mexico is coming off a school-record 18-4-0 season, its second straight Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title and its second consecutive trip to the second-round of the NCAA Tournament.
After losing only two starters to graduation, the Lobos return the core of their record-breaking team from a year ago. UNM has already received recognition in the CollegeSoccerNews.com preseason Top-30 with a No. 20 ranking. However, the NSCAA poll is voted on by coaches in the NCAA and is the most respected poll for ranking Division I college soccer teams.
This is just the seventh week in the history of the Lobo program that UNM has been ranked in the NSCAA Top-25. New Mexico’s highest ranking came in 1997 when they reached No. 15.
If the Lobos are going to stay in the Top-25 they are going to have to play their best soccer. Four teams on the 2003 schedule are ranked in the preseason Top-25, including No. 1 UCLA, No. 5 SMU, No. 18 Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and No. 21 UC Santa Barbara.
The Lobos are off to Durango, Colo. this weekend for a Sunday afternoon exhibition match against Division II Fort Lewis College at 1:00 p.m. (M.D.T.). UNM head coach Jeremy Fishbein spent seven seasons coaching the Skyhawks from 1992-98. New Mexico opens the regular season on the road with a match at Wisconsin on August 29 at 7:30 p.m. (C.D.T.). The Lobos’ home opener is on September 5 at 7:30 p.m. (M.D.T.) against IUPUI at the UNM Soccer Complex.