The Truman women’s soccer team was projected to finish third in the 2012 MIAA regular season, as announced in the preseason coaches’ poll released Thursday morning by the league office.

The Bulldogs are coming off an 11-6-2 season and second-place finish in the MIAA in 2011.
 
Head coach Mike Cannon’s Bulldog squad earned 125 total points to come in five points behind MIAA-newcomer Central Oklahoma in the 13-team poll.

Defending MIAA champion Central Missouri took 12 of 13 first-place votes for a league-high 144 points, while UCO landed second with 130 points. Truman received the league’s other first-place vote.
 
 
Truman returns seven starters and 13 letterwinners from last season’s squad, headlined by senior all-region goal-scorers Olivia Hayes (Clayton, Mo., Clayton) and Kelsey Twellman (St. Louis, Mo., Incarnate Word Academy).

The Bulldogs will open the season with back-to-back home matches on Friday, Aug. 31 against Minnesota State and Sunday, Sept. 2 against Winona (Minn.) State.

Truman opens MIAA play on Friday, Sept. 14 against Missouri Western as part of Family Weekend.
 
The top eight teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the MIAA postseason tournament, held on campus sites beginning on Oct. 30.

Courtesy Truman State University