<p>For Immediate Release
Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2007
Women’s Soccer Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773</p>
<p>Navy Women’s Soccer Closes Out Season Ranked No. 19</p>
<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy women’s soccer team won a program-record 21 games in 2006 and made its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the last four seasons. In addition, the Mids have closed out their record-shattering campaign as the 19th-ranked team in the country according to Soccer Buzz, marking the first time in program history they have been ranked in a final poll. </p>
<p>Navy received the program’s first national ranking on Sept. 25 and became the first Patriot League team to be ranked in a decade when Colgate finished the 1996 season ranked 18th by Soccer Buzz. The Midshipmen ironically were tied with eventual first-round NCAA Tournament foe William & Mary for 25th in the Soccer America poll. As the weeks passed, Navy steadily climbed the polls. The Mids cracked the top 20 for the first time in school history on Oct. 16 when they were ranked No. 17 by Soccer America and two weeks later, Navy achieved its highest ranking in program history at No. 11. Additionally, for the final three weeks of the regular season, the Mids were ranked among the top 25 in three polls - Soccer America, Soccer Buzz and Soccer Times. Navy also received votes in the final regular-season National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll on Nov. 7, as well as the final poll released on Dec. 5.</p>
<p>The Mids finished just outside of the top 25 in the NSCAA poll, receiving the most votes by an unranked team. Navy, who lost to eventual National Champion North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, joined the likes of USC, Cal State Fullerton, Duke, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Denver, Pepperdine, William & Mary, Boston University and Oregon who received votes and also made it to the second round of the tourney.</p>
<p>Navy’s seven-week stay in the regular-season polls was the longest a Patriot League team has been ranked, while the Mids’ No. 11 ranking on Nov. 6 is the highest a league team has achieved.</p>
<p>In addition, Navy was the 17th-ranked team in the nation according to the final 2006 NCAA Women’s Soccer RPI which ranks more than 300 teams that sponsor Div. I women’s soccer programs. The Mids ranked ahead of Clemson (No. 21) who was among the Elite Eight, while Sweet Sixteen members Virginia (No. 22), Tennessee (No. 26) and Boston College (No. 34) also trailed Navy.</p>