By Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information

---Sophomore defender Caitlyn Mueller will anchor the NKU defense as they seek a seventh GLVC Championship.

INDIANAPOLIS – The Northern Kentucky University women’s soccer team has been picked to finish third by the Great Lakes Valley Conference coaches in their annual preseason poll.

The Norse garnered one first-place vote and 120 points overall, finishing behind expected front-runner Quincy, which earned six first-place nods and 134 points in the voting. Defending GLVC champion Drury was second, taking 130 points and five first-place votes.

Wisconsin-Parkside was selected fourth at 105 points, while Indianapolis took one first-place vote to finish with 103 points.

NKU finished last season with a 12-6 record and an 8-5 mark in GLVC play, which was good for a fourth-place finish. NKU’s season ended with a 3-2 loss to Missouri-St. Louis in the quarterfinals of the GLVC Tournament.

The Norse will look to move on after the graduation of Jayme Light, one of NKU’s most prolific scoring threats. Light is fifth all-time with 31 career goals and ninth all-time in points with 76.

Returning this season is senior Lauren Franzen, who led the Norse with seven goals, including a hat trick against Concord, and 19 points overall. Sophomore Kendall Day, who had six goals and five assists in 2007, will help to spark the NKU offense.

The Norse open their season on Aug. 24 with an exhibition match against Division I foe Ohio. The regular season begins on Aug. 29 when the Norse travel to Athens, W. Va., to take on Concord.

2008 GLVC Preseason Poll: