Men's Soccer Picked Third in Preseason Poll
Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The Elms College men's soccer team was voted to finish third in the 2016 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Men's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll, announced by the league office Tuesday.
Elms collected 59 total points to fall two points shy of second place. The Blazers enter the 2016 campaign after falling to Newbury in the NECC Championship semifinals to finish with a 8-10-1 record, including a 6-2 mark in conference action. Elms will be returning 15 players from the 2015 edition, featuring seven starters including All-NECC First Team selection Donald Whittle (Somers, Conn.) and All-NECC Third Team selection Colby Macdonald (Bristol, Conn.).
Daniel Webster College picked to win third straight NECC Men's Soccer title, collecting 80 points and eight of the nine first place rankings.
The Eagles bring back a core of players that were recognized with All-NECC Honors including three first team members. The offense will be led by the reigning NECC Player of the Year, senior Ian Hutchinson. Hutchinson will be helped by fellow seniors Marcos Veiera Filho offensively, while Michal Ottman will lead the defensive side.
Newbury College earned second in the polls (61 points), after suffering a tough loss in the 2015 NECC Championship game to Daniel Webster. Starting his first year as the Newbury Head Coach, Bill Maddock, returners eight starters, but will have to fill the void of forward Emmett Dixon who led the NECC with 29 points last season.
In fourth place in the coaches' poll was Mitchell College, who like Elms, will have most of their starters from 2015 returning to the field. Mitchell hopes the added experience will help them to make a run at the NECC Title. They are led by a standout freshman from a season ago forward Andrew Storton.
Fifth and sixth place were separated by just three points as Regis College finished with 50 points and Lesley University earned 47. The Pride return eighteen players and eight starters from the 2015 season. Lesley hopes to utilize their veteran core as well as their 13 newcomers in their run for an NECC Title.
Southern Vermont College collected 26 points for seventh in the poll, Becker College totaled 19 points and eighth place, while Wheelock College finished with 10 points for ninth in the poll.
Most NECC teams will begin their seasons with nonconference match ups on Thursday, September 1st. NECC play will begin with Daniel Webster traveling to Lesley on Saturday, September 17th.
2016 NECC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll
Daniel Webster 80 (8)
Newbury - 61
Elms - 59
Mitchell - 53
Regis – 50
Lesley – 47 (1)
Southern Vermont – 26
Becker – 19
Wheelock – 10
ELMS SOCCER
