Troy, NY--The Sage Colleges women's soccer team was picked to finish in fifth place in the 2010 Skyline Conference by the league's coaches in a pre-season poll. A year ago, Sage posted a 9-9-1 overall record and earned a spot in the league's 2009 tournament as well as the program's second straight ECAC Tournament appearance.

After winning three straight Skyline Conference women's soccer titles, it is no surprise that Farmingdale State College has been selected as the Skyline preseason favorite as selected by the conference's head coaches this fall. The Rams went 15-5-3 overall and 8-0-1 in Skyline Conference play last season. Including two games in the Skyline tournament, the Rams outscored conference foes by a margin of 49-1.

Sage, which is under the direction of ninth-year head coach Barry Balkwell, returns 12 letterwinners from last year's team, including three Skyline Conference All-Stars from last year's team.

Headlining the 2010 Gators' roster is senior goalie keeper, Brittany McDonald (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont). In her first season with Sage, McDonald was outstanding in net. She netted six solo shutouts and one shared shutout in 2009. She led the Skyline Conference with her shutouts (0.32) and ranked third in the league with her .855 saves percentage, third in saves with 141, and fourth in goals against average (1.30). She earned player of the week honors from both the Skyline Conference and the ECAC as a junior and was named to the 2009 Skyline Conference All-Star First Team as well as the inaugural ECAC Division III Women's Soccer All-Star Second Team.

Additional support on the defensive end will come from the return of 2009 Skyline Conference All-Star pick, Samantha DeFoe (Galway, NY/Galway). As a junior, DeFoe would connect the game-winning goal in the Skyline Tournament as she converted a corner kick for a score to lift the Gators past Mt. St. Mary, 1-0. The goal was the third of the year for DeFoe, who played in all 19 games with seven points from her defensive position.

Balancing the Gator's offensive lineup will be the return of junior forward Rebecca Marszalek (Adams, MA/Hoosac Valley). Tapped for both the 2009 Skyline Conference All-Star First Team and the ECAC Division III Women's Soccer All-Star Second Team as a sophomore, she led Sage in scoring last year. She racked up a personal-best 32 points on 15 goals and two assists. She surpassed her totals from her rookie season (14g, 3 a, 31 pts.) and now has 29 goals, five assists and 63 points. She currently ranks third all-time with her career goals and is fourth on the career point list as well in just 36 games played as a Gator. Marszalek finished the season ranking fourth in the conference with her 1.68 points per game average, while her 0.79 goals per game ranks third highest amongst the players in the conference. She led the league with her five game-winning goals (0.26 per game).

Look for additional scoring output this year from the likes of senior Nicole Killeen (Petersburgh, NY/Berlin Central), sophomores Grace Collett (Watervliet, NY/Watervliet) and Jennifer Poulin (Walton, NY/Walton Central). Killeen has played in 52 games with the program, connecting on 30 points on 13 goals with four assists. She has five career game-winning goals and Sage is looking for her to step up her game after she tallied a personal-best eights goals as a rookie in 2007.

Collett made one start in 12 games played last year and was able to find the back of the net four times. With her speed and scoring knack, Sage should have plenty of scoring output this fall. Poulin saw limited playing time last year and should push for more time this fall.

Senior defender Sarah Briggs (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) and sophomore forward Rebecca Doble (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) have been named captains for the coming season. Briggs is a seasoned veteran having played in 47 games during her career with two goals and five assists as a defender. Doble handed out five assists as a rookie and played in every game with 16 starts.

Senior Laura Tisinger (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville) will lead the team's midfield unit as an experienced performer. She made nine starts a year ago in 16 matched played, with one goal. She will lead newcomers such as rookies Catharine Sundheim (Hudson, NY/Hudson) and Emily Dooley (Cropseyville, NY/Berlin Central) as they make the transition to the collegiate level.

Defensive returnees include Amanda Potter (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) as well as sophomores Dana Spuck (Fairport, NY/Charles Finney), Rachel Wampler (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle Area), Kendell Wilbert (Boonville, NY/Adirondack), and newcomer Katie Foley (Lansingburgh, NY/Lansingburgh). Potter has played in 52 games thus far on her career and provides leadership and depth for the Gators, while also having scored five times during her career with three assists. Spuck returns healthy this fall after an injury shortened campaign held her to just four matches in 2009. Wampler started all but one game last year and pushed in two goals in 19 matches played, while Wilbert made nine starts in 16 appearances with a goal as well.

Sage's 2010 schedule will find the team challenged if the squad as they look for a fourth-straight appearance in the Skyline Conference Tournament. Last year, the Gators racked up the program's first Skyline Conference post-season victory with their win over Mount Saint Mary in the quarterfinals.

Sage opens the 2010 season travelling to Pennsylvania where they will compete in the Bryn Mawr College Invitational. Sage opens play facing Sweet Briar College on September 4. Skyline Conference defending champion, Farmingdale headlines the team's 10-game league schedule as the team travels to face the Rams in mid-October. Additional league home match-ups include contests with Mount Saint Mary in the team's home league opener on September 23, while SUNY Old Westbury, Purchase, NYU-Poly, and Yeshiva will all be home contests for the Gators. Sage will face league foes Bard, Mt. St. Vincent, Maritime and Farmingdale on the road this year.

Non-conference action will come from the likes of SUNY-Potsdam, SUNY-IT, and MCLA to round out the 2010 schedule. By year's end, Coach Balkwell is confident the Gators will have the necessary wins and confidence to vie for post-season play once again.

SKYLINE CONFERENCE WOMEN'S SOCCER 2010 PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

1. Farmingdale State (9) 99
2. Bard (2) 88
3. Mount Saint Mary 75
4. Purchase 67
5. Sage 62
6. St. Joseph's-L.I. 58
7. Old Westbury 57
8. Maritime 36
9. Mount Saint Vincent 26
10. NYU-Poly 20
11. Yeshiva 17 (first-place votes in parentheses)