BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England men's soccer team has been selected to finish 7th among the league's 14 teams in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) preseason poll. TCCC Commissioner Gregg Kaye made the announcement this afternoon.
Three-time defending champion Western New England College is once again the favorite to win it all in 2010, tallying 11 first-place votes and 193 total points.
The league's coaches slated Roger Williams University and Salve Regina University second and third, respectively. The Hawks received the remaining three first-place votes and 184 points, while the Seahawks totaled 160 points.
Rookie head coach Matt Gnall has seven starters returning from the 2009 squad that posted 10 wins -- UNE's most successful season since 1997. The Nor'easters gave eventual champion WNEC everything it could handle in the TCCC Quarterfinals, before dropping a 3-2 decision.
Big Blue opens the 2010 campaign against Thomas College on September 1 (7 p.m.).
The Commonwealth Coast Conference
2010 Preseason Men's Soccer Poll
| Place |
Institution (1st place votes) |
Points |
| 1 |
Western New England (11) |
193 |
| 2 |
Roger Williams (3) |
184 |
| 3 |
Salve Regina |
160 |
| 4 |
Wentworth |
156 |
| 5 |
Nichols |
129 |
| 6 |
Gordon |
123 |
| 7 |
UNE |
103 |
| 8 |
Curry |
100 |
| 9 |
Endicott |
97 |
| 10 |
Anna Maria |
64 |
| 11 |
New England College |
56 |
| 12 |
Colby-Sawyer |
52 |
| 13 |
Regis |
29 |
| 14 |
Eastern Nazarene |
24 |
