Nobody on Kansas University’s soccer team believes its run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and No. 13 final national ranking in 2003 was a fluke.

The question, however, is whether the rest of the country is convinced KU’s superb season was legit.

The Jayhawks will try to prove the magic of ’03 was destiny rather than luck as they embark on their 2004 campaign.

“I think it sent a statement that we’re for real,” senior defender Stacy Leeper said. “We did well enough against good teams to prove to people that we’re here to stay.”

Big 12 Conference coaches picked KU to finish seventh out of 11 teams in the league last preseason. By year’s end the Jayhawks finished third in the league, earned their first-ever national ranking and first postseason wins in history.

“We hope they give us a low ranking again this year so we can go out and prove what we’re all about again,” Leeper said. “They still have Nebraska, Texas, Texas A&M and the rest of them that they can put ahead of us again. That’s fine. We’ll prove ’em wrong again. We’d rather be the underdog because it motivates us more.”

It’s likely Kansas will be picked to finish at least in the top four in the Big 12 given the arsenal of talent the Jayhawks return from last year’s 18-6-1 team.

For starters, junior All-America forward Caroline Smith received so much national attention during her 19-goal sophomore campaign that opponents will have to take her seriously.

Plus, KU shellacked eventual Final Four qualifier Florida State 3-1 last September in Lawrence and fell to another Final Four squad, UCLA, 1-0, in Los Angeles in late November. Kansas also returns seven everyday starters and six more players who received numerous starting nods in 2003.

“You never really know how that stuff’s going to pan out,” sixth-year KU coach Mark Francis said of preseason predictions. “If you look at last year they had us seventh and we finished third, and I know nobody had Colorado picked to win the league. I’m not sure where we’ll be, but if we’re high it puts a little pressure on you.”

Standout Caroline Smith returns for her junior year. Smith had 19 goals as a sophomore.

Francis cited physical strength and toughness as weaknesses in 2003, so he forced his team to play three men’s squads during the exhibition spring season and beefed up the 2004 schedule. KU will play one of the country’s toughest schedules this year, with 12 of its 19 regular-season foes having played in the NCAA Tournament in 2003.

“We’re all real confident that we can take it to the next level,” senior forward Rachel Gilfillan said, “but we have to work hard and take care of first things first.”

KU will travel to UNLV and No. 14 BYU the first week, and No. 18 Illinois the fourth week of the season. A stretch of five straight conference road games late in the season will also challenge the Jayhawks.

“This is going to be the most talented and deepest team we’ve ever had,” Francis said. “Every position, from goalkeeper to everywhere through the field, we’re going to have a lot of competition for places. That’s going to make us much better.”

Smith, Gilfillan and senior forward Monica Brothers are three of the top four goal-scorers in KU history. Sophomore Jessica Kilpatrick had six goals and two assists a year ago, including three goals during postseason play. Junior Jessica Smith (seven goals in 2002) also is healthy again and will be another scoring threat.

Kansas returns one of the top midfields in the Big 12 with seniors Lauren Williams (one goal, six assists), Amy Geha (two goals, four assists), and Gabriela Quiggle (two assists). Sophomore Michelle Rasmussen (nine starts) also is expected to be back by midseason from a broken leg suffered against Missouri last year.

Defensively, Leeper and sophomore Holly Gault are returning starters, as is senior All-Big 12 First Team goalie Meghan Miller (11 shutouts). Sophomores Nikki Alvarez and Danika Erickson saw major minutes with the starting unit as well.

Seven newcomers — four freshmen, three transfers — also join the squad in 2004.