Aug. 5, 2008

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's soccer team will officially start the 2008 season on Wednesday, Aug. 6 with its first practice of the year at the Chuck and Gloria Bell Soccer Field. The Aggies are picked to finish third in the Western Athletic Conference according to the league's coaches in a preseason poll released Monday.

Sixth-year head coach Heather Cairns welcomes back seven starters and 15 letterwinners from last season's squad that posted a 10-11-0 record, tying the most-ever wins in the program's 12-year history. Utah State's 5-2-0 conference record ties the previous program-record mark of five league wins set in 2006. USU finished fourth in last season's conference standings, making it to the WAC Tournament semifinals before losing 1-0 in overtime to eventual conference champion Hawai'i, marking the third season in a row the Aggies have lost to the eventual tournament title winner.

Among those returning for Utah State is junior defender Lindsey Smart who is a preseason all-WAC selection after earning first-team all-conference honors in 2007. She was also selected as the preseason co-defensive player of the year for the second straight season.

Utah State will hold its annual Blue-White scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 16 at 1 p.m. at Chuck and Gloria Bell Soccer Field before opening its season on Friday, Aug. 22 at Idaho State at 4 p.m. USU's home opener is set for Sunday, Aug. 24 against Seattle University at 1 p.m.