KALAMAZOO, Mich.- The Western Michigan men's soccer team was picked third in the Mid-American Conference preseason poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches. Preseason national No. 1 Akron took first, followed by Northern Illinois and Western Michigan and Hartwick tying in third.
"To be recognized in a much improved position compared to this time last year shows that over the past 12 months we have garnered a good level of respect from all of the conference coaches," said WMU head coach Stu Riddle, who is in just his second year running the program.
"It is important however that we realize that a preseason poll counts for nothing and that our in and out of conference performances over the course of the season will give us the best indicator of our level of improvement as a program."
Western Michigan was picked sixth in last year's preseason poll and proved many of it's doubters wrong, taking third and tying the best regular-season finish in school history. The Broncos were seconds away from placing second, but a double-overtime loss in the final game of the season resulted in WMU slipping into third.
WMU returns 12 players, 10 letterwinners, and welcomes 16 newcomers in 2010. With just two seniors and three juniors, a strong sophomore class anchors the Bronco team. The sophomore class accounted for seven goals and 17 assists last year. Lost to graduation however is Second Team All-MAC performers Tyler Rosenhagen and Saeed Sulemana Baba, the latter of whom led the nation in goals per game, scoring 13 times in just 14 matches.
Following the top teams and rounding out the MAC poll is Buffalo in fifth, Bowling Green in sixth and Florida Atlantic in seventh. The top four finishers at the end of the regular season advance to the conference tournament, which is hosted by the No. 1 overall seed.
WMU opens the regular season Sept. 1 at home against Concordia and has its first MAC challenge Oct. 1, facing Bowling Green. The Broncos defeated Lewis University 4-2 in its first preseason exhibition game Saturday, Aug. 21. Lewis is the No. 3 preseason ranked Division II school in the country. WMU takes on Kalamazoo College this Saturday in its final exhibition contest, playing on the Hornets' home turf at 4 p.m.
2010 MAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First-place votes in parentheses)
1. Akron (7)
2. Northern Illinois
3. Western Michigan
Hartwick
5. Buffalo
6. Bowling Green
7. Florida Atlantic
-- Link to Complete MAC Release
