Thursday, August 20, 2009

MACON, Ga. (Aug. 20, 2009) - The Atlantic Sun Conference announced it preseason men's soccer poll and all conference team on Thursday with ETSU finishing seventh, while Jacksonville was named the preseason favorite.

"Being picked to finish seventh should motivate our players to prove the conference wrong," said head coach Scott Calabrese. "We realize that in the end it's not the preseason that counts, but where we finish at the end of the season."

Jacksonville, Campbell, Lipscomb, Stetson, and Belmont make up the top five selections in the poll. The Bucs received 36 points finishing 19 points behind Florida Gulf Coast, while North Florida, Mercer and USC Upstate round out the rest of the coaches' preseason poll.

The Bucs are back in action on Saturday at 6 p.m. as they host Mars Hill in an exhibition game at Summers-Taylor Stadium.

Preseason Poll

School            Pts       1st

Jacksonville       92         6

Campbell           85         2

Lipscomb          78         1

Stetson             72         1

Belmont            60

FGCU               55

ETSU                36

UNF                  33

Mercer              22   

USC Upstate     17

Tournament Champ: Jacksonville

Preseason All-Conference Team

Pos      Player                          School            

GK       Joey Sanchez                JU

GK       Adam Glick                   FGCU

D          Robert Hodge                STET

D          Eddie Munnelly              JU

D          Kezi Lara                      LIP

MF       Vince Petrasso              CAM - unanimous choice

MF       Strefan Runeman           JU

MF       Fredrik Brustad              STET

F          Miguel DaSilva               LIP

F          Jason Keever                 CAM

F          Garret Pettis                  LIP

Preseason Player of the Year: Miguel DaSilva, Lipscomb

For more information on Buccaneer men's soccer or any other athletic news, please visit www.ETSUBucs.com.