Baton Rouge, LA - Four players from the Southern University Lady Jaguars soccer team pick up their first honor of the 2008 season.

Senior Almarie Soto-Ortiz and junior Tiffany Cantu were named to the preseason All-SWAC first-team while Vacaville, California native Jamika Pugh and Hopemills, North Carolina native Amanda Soto-Ortiz were named to the second-team.

“I am always proud of all the honors the players receive,” said head coach John Knighten.

SU, for the second straight year, was chosen to finish second in the Western Division. The Lady Jags fell to the Southwestern Athletic Conference champions the Alabama A&M University Lady Bulldogs in the first round of the 2007 soccer post season tournament.

The complete list of the coaches order of finish and the preseason All-Conference selections are listed below:

Coaches’ Predicted Order of Finish(first place votes in parentheses)

Eastern Division

Jackson State (9)83 pts

Alabama A&M (7)80

Mississippi Valley State (4)68

Alabama State35

Alcorn State34

Western Division

Grambling State (10)83 pts

Southern (6)74

Prairie View A&M (4)64

Arkansas-Pine Bluff40

Texas Southern36

2008 SWAC Preseason All-Conference Selections

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

MNaira CrimielJackson State5-3SoMcComb, MS

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

DRochelle MoncrieffeJackson State5-10So.Coconut Creek, FL

First-Team

MBrittan ThomasAlabama A&M5-5Jr.Fayetteville, ARMNaira CrimielJackson State5-3SoMcComb, MS

MAlmarie Soto-OrtizSouthern5-3Sr.Hopemills, NC

MDana EddyMississippi Valley State5-5Sr.Calgary, Alberta

DPatricia OforiAlabama A&M5-7Sr.Accra, Ghana

DAshley BaileyMississippi Valley State5-9Sr.London, Ontario

DTiffany CantuSouthern5-2Jr.Dallas, TX

FBelinda KandaAlabama A&M5-6Sr.Accra, Ghana

FAshley BakerGrambling State5-5So.El Paso, TX

FZachene CrooksJackson State5-4Sr.Westmoreland, Jamaica

GKCherie SilasGrambling State5-8Jr.Fontana, CA

Second Team

MAshley MitchellAlcorn State5-7Sr.Aurora, CO

MBrenda CastilloPrairie View A&M5-2So.Houston, TX

MKate JohnstonMississippi Valley State5-6Sr.London, Ontario

MAmanda Soto-OrtizSouthern5-3Jr.Hopemills, NC

DRochelle MoncrieffeJackson State5-10So.Coconut Creek, FL

DJamika PughSouthern5-4Sr.Vacaville, CA

DKendra FoxGrambling State5-6So.Allen, TX

FAngelica DiazPrairie View A&M5-9So.Houston, TX

FMikael MendezMississippi Valley State5-7Jr.Fort Worth, TX

FPella HandMississippi Valley State5-7Sr.El Segunda, CA

GKJessica GarciaPrairie View A&M5-9So.Houston, TX

The original story was published here: http://gojagsports.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/081408aad.html

Tags: almarie soto-ortiz, amanda soto-ortiz, black college soccer, hbcu soccer, jamika pugh, john knighten, southern university, southern university jaguars, swac, tiffany cantu