Oct. 30, 2009

River Forest, Ill. - The Dominican University Department of Athletics wraps up the Fall 2009 regular season this weekend at the Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) Cross Country Championships. The Stars have already solidified the best Fall in University history, securing regular season conference championships in men's soccer and women's volleyball while finishing as the conference runner-up (2nd place) in women's soccer.

On Wednesday night, the women's volleyball program secured the program's first conference championship with a win over the Wisconsin Lutheran College Warriors, pulling into a three-way tie for the NAC regular season championship with Benedictine University and Lakeland College. The Stars, 19-12 overall and 10-2 in the NAC, eventually earned the right to host throughout the 2009 NAC Women's Volleyball Tournament, claiming the tournament's top seed with a higher winning percentage in conference sets than both Lakeland and Benedictine.

The win capped a remarkable turnaround for the volleyball program after posting an overall record of 0-28 in 2006. The Stars have improved every year since, and will fight for the program's first 20-win season since 2004 when they host neighborhood rival Concordia University Chicago in the first round of the NAC Tournament on Tuesday night.

The men's soccer squad wrapped up the program's fourth-straight regular season NAC Championship, posting a perfect 11-0-0 mark in conference play. The Stars completely dominated their NAC counterparts, boasting the conference's top offense and defense, averaging 4.82 goals to just 0.18 goals against in the team's 11 conference contests.

The Stars, 13-1-3 overall, have been a staple in the regional rankings all season, currently holding the top spot in the Central Region in National Soccer Coaches Association of America's (NSCAA) latest poll, and possess the nation's ninth-best offense and 13th-best defense. Dominican will look to capture its fourth-straight NAC Men's Soccer Tournament Championship next week and in doing so earn the program's eighth consecutive bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championships.

The women's soccer program fell one game short of its quest for a NAC regular season championship, posting a 9-2-0 mark in conference play to finish in sole possession of second place. The Stars possess the conference's top defense, posting a 0.36 goals against average, surrendering just four goals against and seven shutouts in 11 NAC contests.

The Stars will be the second seed in the upcoming NAC Women's Soccer Tournament, hosting a semifinals match on Tuesday afternoon. A win would vault Dominican into the NAC championship game for the second time in three seasons, with the program looking to capture its first automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championships.

Post season play kicks off on Dominican's campus next Tuesday, November 3, with women's soccer hosting a semifinals match at 1:00 p.m. followed by a women's volleyball quarterfinals match 7:00 p.m. The men's soccer team will then host a semifinals match on Wednesday. All of the tournament's conclude on Saturday, November 7, with automatic bids to the national tournaments on the line in all sports. For up-to-date scores and schedules, visit the Stars online at www.dustars.com.