The South Atlantic Conference Announces Men's Soccer Preseason Poll & All-Conference

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The Carson-Newman Eagles were picked to win the 2014 South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Championship, the League announced today.  The Eagles, who are ranked No. 2 in the 2014 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National Preseason Poll, picked up five first-place votes and 114 points from the panel.

The Eagles made a run to the 2013 NCAA Division II National Final as a No. 4 seed.  Carson-Newman earned an at-large bid to the NCAA D-II Men's Soccer Championship and finished the 2013 campaign with a 16-6-1 overall record and an 8-3-0 record in League play.

Wingate placed second in the poll with six top-bids and 111 points.  The Bulldogs finished second in the South Atlantic Conference regular-season standings a year ago with an 11-5-1 overall record and an 8-2-1 record in the SAC.

Queens, the 2013 South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Champion, came in at No. 3 in the voting with one top-vote and 105 points.  The Royals earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship and come into the 2014 season ranked No. 22 in the NSCAA Preseason National Poll.  Queens closed out the 2013 season with a 16-4-0 overall record and a 9-2-0 record in the SAC.

Lincoln Memorial placed fourth in the poll with 86 points, ahead of Anderson who tallied 77 points from the head coaches.  Anderson finished the 2013 season as the South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Championship Runner-Up.

The Railsplitters turned in a 9-8-2 overall record during the 2013 season and posted a 6-4-1 Conference mark.  Anderson earned an at-large bid to the 2013 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship and closed its year out with a 12-7-3 overall record, while going 4-5-2 in the Leage.

At the No. 6 position was Coker with 60 points, ahead of Lenoir-Rhyne who tallied 58 points. 

The Cobras finished the 2013 season at 9-5-3 overall and 6-4-1 in League action, while the Bears posted a 9-8-1 record and a 4-6-1 SAC record.

Mars Hill came in at the No. 8 position with 56 points and Catawba was ninth in the voting with 48 points.

The Mars Hill Lions posted a 7-10-0 overall record and a 6-5-0 South Atlantic Conference record during the 2013 season.  The Indians notched an 8-8-1 overall mark and was 4-6-1 in the SAC during their 2013 campaign.

Tusculum posted 42 points to place No. 10, while Newberry's 19 points was good for No. 11.  Brevard closed out the poll with 16 points.

The Pioneers finished 2013 at 6-10-0 overall and 3-8-0 in the SAC.  The Wolves wrapped up 2013 with a 1-16-1 overall record and a 1-9-1 SAC record.  The Tornados closed out its season at 5-11-0 overall and a 3-8-0 Conference record.

The preseason first and second teams were also announced today.  Wingate led the way with four on the first team, while Carson-Newman, Anderson, Coker and Queens had two players named to the first team.  Lenoir-Rhyne wrapped up the first team with one selection.

Headlining the first team forwards is 2013 All-American and Southeast Region Player of the Year Ross Frame of Carson-Newman.  Frame also earned SAC Player of the Year honors after ranking No. 5 in the country with 20 goals and eighth in Division II with 11 assists during the 2013 season. 

Peron Da Silva of Wingate, Andre Carle of Anderson and Lenoir-Rhyne's Ben Jones joined Frame on the list of first-team forwards.  Da Silva and Carle each earned 2013 All-Region honors from the NSCAA.  Da Silva posted 10 goals and two assists for the Bulldogs last season, while Carle put in 12 goals and dished out one helper.  Jones found the back of the net 10 times for the Bears and handed out one assist during the 2013 campaign.

NSCAA All-Region selections Shaun Gadsby of Wingate and Sindre Welo of Carson-Newman highlight the first-team midfielders.  Gadsby scored six times for the Bulldogs last season and came away with five assists.  Welo handed out eight helpers and kicked in seven goals for the Eagles a season ago. 

Liam Gillsphey of Wingate and Tony Quiroz from Coker were also named first-team midfielders.  Gillsphey posted two assists and one goal during the 2013 season and Quiroz accounted for three assists and a goal.

Anderson's Lars Zimmerman, a 2013 All-Region selection, was joined on the first team defenders list by Fernando Bedoya of Coker, Victor Tozelli from Wingate and Gergorio Pestana from Queens.

Montrell Morgan of Queens was named the first-team goalkeeper.  Morgan ranked No. 22 in Division II with a .780 goals against average.

The 2014 South Atlantic Conference men's soccer season is set to get underway of Friday, Sept. 5.

2014 South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Poll

2014 Men's Soccer Preseason All-Conference

First Team
Forwards
Peron Da Silva, Wingate
Ross Frame, Carson-Newman
Andre Carle, Anderson
Ben Jones, Lenoir-Rhyne

Midfielders
Shaun Gadsby, Wingate
Sindre Welo, Carson-Newman
Liam Gillsphey, Wingate
Tony Quiroz, Coker

Defenders
Lars Zimmerman, Anderson
Fernando Bedoya, Coker
Victor Tozelli, Wingate
Gregorio Pestana, Queens

Goalkeeper
Montrell Morgan, Queens 

Second Team
Forwards
Erik Suarez, Queens
Declan Stimson, Catawba
George Burne, Lincoln Memorial
Nico Noll, Carson-Newman

Midfielders
Yuri Passos, Lincoln Memorial
Leonardo Da Silva, Lincoln Memorial
Roberto Pimentel, Tusculum
Kenny Bonilla, Catawaba

Defenders
Tom Holland Lenoir-Rhyne
Rurik Pereira, Carson-Newman
Alex Delpy, Anderson
Duncan Foster, Carson-Newman

Goalkeeper
Marcel Barwanietz, Lincoln Memorial