University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Men's Soccer Picked 7th in Big South Preseason Poll
08.20.2009 | Men's Soccer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The UNC Asheville men's soccer team is a preseason pick to finish in seventh place in the Big South Conference according to the league's coaches as the preseason poll was announced on Thursday.
Defending Big South Conference champion Winthrop was picked to win the league title as it received five first-place votes and 71 out of a possible 81 points in the voting and finished ahead of Coastal Carolina, which totaled two first-place votes and 67 points from the panel.
High Point landed in the No. 3 position with two top-bids and 63 points, while Liberty posted the fourth slot with 61 points. Gardner-Webb and Radford were tied for fifth in the poll with 38.5 points. UNC Asheville finished seventh in the voting with 32 points, and VMI came in at No. 8 with 21 points. Presbyterian rounded out the voting with 14 points.
"We look to finish a little higher than seventh place," commented Bulldog coach Steve Cornish. "You had a lot of close matches last year and I look for that to continue this season, as well. There's not a whole lot of difference from top to bottom."
Asheville plays an exhibition game Monday (Aug. 24) against Catawba College at Greenwood Field starting at 4 p.m. The Bulldogs open the season at national power UNC Chapel Hill on Sept. 1. The home opener is against Brevard on Sept. 4.
