The LSU soccer team received some disappointing news Monday when it found out it did not receive an invitation to the 64-team 2002 Women’s College Cup.
This was a historic season for the Tigers, as they recorded the best record in school history, finishing 12-5-3.
They also defeated the No. 1 seed in last week’s Southeastern Conference Tournament, Auburn, by a 1-0 score in Oxford, Miss., a win that gave LSU hope it would receive a bid to the national tournament.
However, the Tigers were left out, despite the fact they finished 3-1 against teams that were invited to the College Cup.
Through the course of the season, LSU defeated Ole Miss, Florida State and Auburn, all teams invited to the national championship tournament.
Other SEC teams invited to the College Cup were Kentucky and Tennessee.
Head coach George Fotopoulos, who scheduled and held practice Monday because he felt the Tigers would be invited, was baffled by the selection of Ole Miss over LSU.
The Tigers defeated the Rebels, 2-1, on Oct. 4 in Oxford, Miss. Ole Miss also fell in the first round of the SEC Tournament to Kentucky, 1-0, whereas LSU defeated top-seeded Auburn.
“I thought we were in,” Fotopoulos said. “For the committee to select Ole Miss over us is difficult for me to accept. We beat them head-to-head, we did better than them in the SEC Tournament, and everything looked to be in our favor. But obviously, the committee did not think so. I’m shocked.”
Fotopoulos said one possibility why the committee may have selected Ole Miss over his Tigers is the Rebels have had a good program for a while, whereas LSU just is beginning its rise to the top of the women’s soccer scene.
However, he said the Tigers should have gotten in based on what they did this season.
“We had a great year,” Fotopoulos said. “Ole Miss has been good for a while, but this is about where I expected us to be when I got here three years ago. I said it would take five years for us to become a perennial Top 20 team, and I think we are on our way.”
The prospects for LSU soccer are nothing but good, as LSU only will lose four players to graduation and has some great talent returning, including the SEC’s leading scorer in Mandy Heintz, who garnered a league-best 24 scores this season.
“Even though I cannot talk about the players, recruiting is going great,” Fotopoulos said. “We have our best class pledges as of yet, and we have some great returning players.”