July 24, 2006

The University of New Mexico men's soccer team will start the 2006 season ranked No. 9 in the nation according to CollegeSoccerNews.com's Preseason Top-30 that was released today. The Lobos are coming off the best season in school history in 2005 that included an 18-2-3 record and a trip to the finals of the NCAA College Cup. CollegeSoccerNews.com also ranked UNM's 2006 recruiting class as the fifth best in the nation.

This is the fourth year in a row the Lobos have received a preseason ranking. They were picked 17th in 2003, 28th prior to the 2004 season and No. 6 last year. UNM has been ranked in the top-30 for 27 consecutive weeks, dating back to the start of the 2004 season. Their win over No. 1 Indiana on Sept. 19, 2004, started a streak of 23 consecutive weeks ranked in the top-10 that will continue into the 2006 season.

The Lobos will once again play the top teams in the country with three ranked foes coming to Albuquerque in non-conference action. New Mexico takes on No. 8 UCLA in the home opener at the UNM Soccer Complex in the Crescent Financial Solutions Invitational on Friday, Sept. 8, at 7:00 p.m. (M.D.T.). The Lobos will then host No. 23 Cal State Northridge on Sunday, Sept. 10, at 3:00 p.m. (M.D.T.). No. 2 SMU visits Albuquerque for the TLC Plumbing & Utility Invitational on Friday, Sept. 15, at 7:00 p.m. (M.D.T.). It is the Mustangs' first trip to the UNM Soccer Complex since 1998. Season tickets for the 2006 Lobo men's soccer season are currently on sale now at the UNM Ticket Office. For more information call (505) 925-LOBO or click here.

For a complete rundown on the Top-30 teams visit www.CollegeSoccerNews.com.

2006 College Soccer News Preseason Top 30 National Poll
1. Maryland
2.SMU
3.North Carolina
4.Connecticut
5.Penn State
6.Virginia
7.Akron
8.UCLA
9.New Mexico
10. Creighton
11.South Florida
12.Duke
13. Indiana
14.California
15.Clemson
16. Notre Dame
17.St. John's
18.UNC-Greensboro
19.Wake Forest
20.Old Dominion
21.UC Santa Barbara
22.San Francisco
23.Cal State Northridge
24.San Diego State
25.Virginia Tech
26.Santa Clara
27.St. Louis
28.Wisconsin-Milwaukee
29.South Carolina
30.Ohio State

CollegeSoccerNews.com also ranked the top-40 recruiting classes in the nation, selecting the 2006 crop of Lobos fifth in the NCAA. UNM will welcome 12 new faces to the team, including four NSCAA All-Americans, a pair of talented international players and six other strong prep stars from across the country.

Albuquerque's Michael Reed is one of the four NSCAA All-Americans joining New Mexico in the fall. The Sandia High School product was also the New Mexico Player of the Year last season. Gardner Morrow was also a 2005 NSCAA All-American and the Vermont Player of the Year for Champlain Valley High School. P.J. Wilson earned NSCAA All-American honors at Canterbury High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, an was the Indiana Player of the Year in 2005. Zach Tierney of Wildwood, Mo., is the fourth All-American joining the Lobos this season, starring for Christian Brothers High School in St. Louis, Mo.

Simon Edjemyr and John Chisholm are two international players who could have an immediate impact on the team. Edjemyr is a physical defender from Boras, Sweden. Chishom is a former teammate of current Lobo Andrew Boyens at Dunedin Technical in Dunedin, New Zealand. For a full overview of the 2006 UNM recruiting class, click here.

UNM's last three recruiting classes have all been ranked in the top-20 according to CollegeSoccerNews.com. The current Lobo junior class was listed as the 15th best in the nation, while last year's group of newcomers ranked 16th.

For a complete breakdown of the top-40 recruiting classes in the nation visit www.CollegeSoccerNews.com.

2006 Lobo Newcomers

Lobos Men's Soccer

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