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Women's Soccer 24th in Season-Ending Coaches' Poll
December 07, 2011 | Women's Soccer
Dec. 7, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Following the best season in the program's history, the Louisville women's soccer team closed 2011 ranked 24th in the season-ending NSCAA/Continental Tire coaches' poll released on Tuesday.
The Cardinals made their first and only appearance of the season in the Top 25 after advancing to the program's first NCAA Sweet 16. With its 14-7-3 record overall, Louisville set a school record for wins while also earning its first ever BIG EAST Conference National Division title. Making its third NCAA Championship appearance ever, U of L earned a first round win over Dayton and eliminated No. 4 seeded and previously unbeaten Memphis in the second round before falling to No. 1 seed Florida State in the Sweet 16.
Prior to their best ever NCAA Championship performance, the Cardinals were a No. 1 seed in the BIG EAST Championship and advanced to their first ever BIG EAST title game with tournament wins over Providence and Notre Dame. Louisville clinched its first BIG EAST National Division title with a 1-0 victory at rival Cincinnati in the regular season finale on Oct. 22. The triumph was also career win No. 100 for Cardinals' head coach Karen Ferguson-Dayes, who was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year and NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year in her 12th season on the job in 2011.
Louisville was one of three BIG EAST Conference schools in the season's final coaches' poll joining Marquette (16th) and West Virginia (18th). The Cardinals were the only BIG EAST team to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2011.
Click here to view the season's final NSCAA/Continental Tire Top 25.
