RICHMOND, Va. – The Elon University men’s soccer team was tabbed fourth overall in the 2014 Colonial Athletic Association men’s soccer preseason poll as announced by league office on Monday, August 11. The Phoenix earned 43 points overall in the preseason poll, according to the vote of the league’s men’s soccer coaches.
Elon was one point for tying for third place behind William & Mary, who had 44 points. Delaware was selected as the preseason favorite with 58 points and four first-place votes followed by reigning CAA regular-season and tournament champion Drexel with 49 points. Drexel also had four first-place votes.
UNC Wilmington was fifth in the poll with 39 points followed by Northeastern (33), Hofstra (29), College of Charleston (17) and James Madison (12). Northeastern also had a first-place vote.
Elon went 15-5-3 last season en route to its third straight Southern Conference tournament title and third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Phoenix advanced to the second round of the national tournament for the first time in school history and ended the year ranked at No. 22 in the final NSCAA poll. Elon returns six starters from last year’s squad, including top scorers Jason Waterman (12 goals, seven assists) and James Brace (10 goals, four assists) as well as all-conference honorees in goalkeeper Nathan Dean and Austin Dunker.
2014 CAA MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Delaware (4 first-place votes) 58 2. Drexel (4 first-place votes) 49 3. William & Mary 44 4. Elon 43 5. UNCW 39 6. Northeastern (1 first-place vote) 33 7. Hofstra 29 8. College of Charleston 17 9. James Madison 12
(Teams received 8 points for a first-place vote, 7 for second, etc. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.)