NEW HAVEN, Conn. - - The Wilmington University men's soccer team is aiming to defend its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Regular Season Championship from a season ago, and the league's 13 head coaches think they will take a shot at it again in 2019, being voted atop the Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll for the fourth straight year, as announced by the conference office on Monday.
The Wildcats won the regular season title with a 9-1-2 CACC record last year, but fell short in the CACC Tournament, bowing out in the CACC Tournament Championship match. The Wildcats still earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Second Round once again and finishing with a 15-3-4 overall record.
Wilmington earned eight of the 13 first place votes, totaling 160 points to best Post's 153 points. Point defeated Wilmington in the CACC Tournament Championship and earned four first place votes in the preseason poll. CACC Tournament Semifinalists Georgian Court (141 points) and Jefferson (134 points) round out the top four in this season's poll.
Holy Family earned the final first place vote and totaled 94 points for fifth place while Bloomfield and Caldwell tied for sixth overall with 83 points each. Goldey-Beacom rounds out the expected participants in the CACC Tournament with an eighth place spot with 72 points.
Dominican (65 points), Chestnut Hill (63 points), Concordia (54 points), Felician (42 points), and Nyack (25 points) round out the rest of the 2019 CACC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll.
Men's soccer's season begins with the Wildcat Invitation at the WU Athletics Complex on Thursday, September 5. They will play Millersville in the season opener while also playing the District of Columbia on Saturday. Goldey-Beacom is the fourth team participating in the Wildcat Invitational that weekend.
AGATE
2019 CACC MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Wilmington University – 160 (8)
2. Post University – 153 (4)
3. Georgian Court University – 141
4. Jefferson – 134
5. Holy Family University – 94 (1)
T6. Bloomfield College – 83
T6. Caldwell University – 83
8. Goldey-Beacom College – 72
9. Dominican College – 65
10. Chestnut Hill College – 63
11. Concordia College – 54
12. Felician University – 42
13. Nyack College – 25
() - First-Place Votes