Aug. 7, 2012

EDISON, N.J. - The Loyola University Maryland women's soccer team was picked third in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, and senior Nichole Schiro was chosen as the 2012 Preseason Player of the Year, the league office announced Tuesday.

The preseason coaches poll and All-MAAC Preseason team was voted on by the league's 10 head coaches.

Schiro the 2011 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, was joined by senior Kelsey Rene and junior Didi Haracic on the Preseason All-MAAC team. Rene and Schiro were All-MAAC First Team selections last year, while Haracic was named to the All-MAAC Second Team.

The Greyhounds, who finished third in the MAAC last year, received 80 total points in the MAAC preseason coaches' poll. Marist was chosen as the preseason favorite, garnering 99 points, while Fairfield was picked second with 81 points. Niagara University finished in fourth place with 73 points. Siena College placed fifth (53), followed by Canisius College and Iona College (45), Rider University (41), Manhattan College (21), and Saint Peter's University (12).

Loyola went 5-3-1 in conference regular-season play in 2012, and went on to the MAAC title game where they fell to Marist, 1-0.

Schiro earned the conference's Offensive Player of the Year honor in 2011, scoring 13 goals and four assists for 30 points in conference play. She is the program's all-time career scoring leader with 37 career goals.

Loyola starts its 2012 campaign on Wednesday, Aug. 22 against Howard at Ridley Athletic Complex at 7 p.m.

Below is the full MAAC Preseason Poll along with the Preseason All-MAAC Team: