Irving, Texas ? Kansas University’s soccer team was predicted to finish sixth in the 2014 league standings, according to the Big 12 preseason coaches’ poll released Wednesday.
The ranking marks the 10th time in the 15-year history of the preseason vote that KU has been picked to finish among the top-six teams in the conference.
Two-time defending league champion West Virginia was the unanimous choice to win the conference, receiving eight first-place votes and 64 points overall, followed by Texas Tech (56), Oklahoma State (49), Baylor (40), Texas (39), Kansas (25), TCU (21), Iowa State (16) and Oklahoma (14).
The Jayhawks return 16 letterwinners and nearly 70 percent of their scoring from the 2013 squad that finished 7-11-2 overall and 2-5-1 in conference play.
Mark Francis enters his 16th season as the Jayhawks’ head coach and is just four wins shy of his 200th career coaching victory.
Junior midfielder Liana Salazar returns after a sophomore season that saw her earn all-Big 12 first-team honors.
Kansas will play South Dakota State in an exhibition match at 5 p.m. Friday at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
