FLORENCE -- With a jump from eight wins in 2008 to 19 in 2009, the University of North Alabama women's soccer team was the most improved team in women's soccer in the nation, according to data released recently by Somis Sports.

North Alabama was 8-11-1 in 2008 and jumped to 19-4 last season with the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance.

UNA was one of just four teams in all divisions to show an improvement of 10 wins or more. Santa Clara in Division I, and Minnesota-Duluth and Cal State-Los Angeles in Division II all improved by 10 wins over their
2008 totals.


NCAA Women's Soccer Somis Sports
Division 2 - most improved teams
2009 Season
Improvement in :
Rank Team Conference Rating Wins
1 North Alabama Gulf South 3.47 11
2 Alderson - Broaddus West Virginia 2.50 9
3 SW Oklahoma State Lone Star 2.12 5
4 Minnesota - Duluth Northern Sun 2.08 10
5 Lander Peach Belt 2.08 4
6 Cal State Los Angeles California Collegiate 1.75 10
7 Stonehill Northeast 10 1.73 6
8 Northwood (MI) GLIAC 1.67 5
9 Cal State Monterey Bay California Collegiate 1.53 2
10 Chico State California Collegiate 1.52 1
11 Northwest Nazarene Great Northwest 1.48 2
12 Saint Martin's Great Northwest 1.40 6
13 Southern Indiana Great Lakes Valley 1.39 4
14 Missouri Western MidAmerica 1.37 6
15 South Carolina - Aiken Peach Belt 1.34 3
16 Hawaii Pacific Pacific West 1.23 5
17 Chestnut Hill Central Atlantic 1.22 6
18 Adams State Rocky Mountain 1.20 5
19 Florida Tech Sunshine State 1.20 4
20 Anderson (SC) Conference Carolinas 1.17 8
Explanation
We calculated a team's improvement by comparing its final 2009 rating
to an adjusted 2008 rating. Based on this calculation, the above listed
20 teams showed the most improvement in 2009 vs. 2008.
A team's rating roughly equates to net goals (goals scored minus goals
against). Based on the calculation, all teams listed above improved by
at least 1.17 net goals per game.
.