USD Coyotes notch third straight 10-victory season

The South Dakota women's soccer team completed the 2006 season with a 10-7-1 overall record and finished in third-place in the North Central Conference with a 7-5-0 mark. Though USD's streak of qualifying for the NCAA Division II national tournament was halted this year after a two-year run, the Coyotes did reach double-digits in victories for the third consecutive season, and for the fourth time in the last five years.

South Dakota also tied a school record with seven NCC victories this year, matching its total from a year ago when it went 7-4-1. USD had a strong finish to the 2006 campaign as well with four victories in its final five games, which is just the third time in school history that the program has ended the year on such a high note.

The Coyotes also defended its home turf of the USD Soccer Field quite well this year,

going 6-2-0 in home contests. This is the third straight year South Dakota has won at least six home games, and with a 4-2-0 mark in home NCC games posted a winning league mark for the sixth consecutive season.

USD head coach Becky Heiberger just completed her second season at the helm of the Coyote program, and now possesses a career record of 24-13-2 (.641). Last season, Heiberger led South Dakota to a 14-6-1 mark and a berth in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

She also guided the Coyotes to a 7-4-1 mark in North

Central Conference play and was named NCC Co-Coach of the Year for her efforts.

Assisting Heiberger this season were Becky Maynard and Emily King.