NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - The Wilmington University men's soccer team will have a target on its back to begin the 2017 season as the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference released its Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll on Wednesday.
The Wildcats earned seven first place votes and 156 total points to land atop the poll, garnering 19 more points than the rest of the field. The Wildcats finished 12-6-1 overall in 2016, going 7-4-1 in CACC play to finished third in the regular season. They advanced to the CACC Tournament Semifinals for the fifth year in a row before being ousted by eventual CACC Tournament Champion Georgian Court.
League rival Post University finished with 137 total point while earning one first place vote to finish second in the preseason poll. Caldwell picked up two first place votes and 127 total points for third while Georgian Court also garnered two fist place votes and 123 total points for fourth place.
Jefferson (formerly Philadelphia University) sits in fifth with 106 points while Goldey-Beacom picked up the final first place vote and 104 total points for sixth. Concordia comes in at seventh with 86 points while Dominican rounds out the predicted CACC Tournament field in eighth place with 85 points.
The rest of the CACC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll includes Nyack (9th, 76 points), Bloomfield (10th, 66 points), Chestnut Hill (11th, 45 points), Felician (12th, 37 points), and Holy Family (13th, 35 points).
The goal is to be one of the top eight teams at the end of the regular season to take part in the CACC Tournament. The CACC Tournament Quarterfinals will be held on Monday, October 30 at the site of the higher seed with the winners advancing to the CACC Tournament Semifinals hosted by Georgian Court in Lakewood, N.J., on Friday, November 3. A champion will be crowned on Sunday, November 5.
For the first time in NCAA Division II, there will be an automatic qualification into the NCAA Division II National Tournament given to the conference tournament champions.
The 2017 season kicks off August 31 when the Wildcats host Millersville, the District of Columbia, and Bloomfield in the Wildcat Invitational at the WU Athletics Complex.
AGATE:
2017 CACC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Wilmington – 156 points (7 first place votes)
2. Post – 137 (1)
3. Caldwell – 127 (2)
4. Georgian Court – 123 (2)
5. Jefferson – 106
6. Goldey-Beacom – 104 (1)
7. Concordia – 86
8. Dominican – 85
9. Nyack – 76
10. Bloomfield – 66
11. Chestnut Hill – 45
12. Felician – 37
13. Holy Family - 35