The UMBC men’s soccer team has garnered votes in three national preseason soccer rankings and has been tabbed as the second choice amongst America East Conference coaches in the league’s preseason poll.
UMBC was the only America East squad to earn votes in the NSCAA Division I national rankings and College Soccer News’ 2011 Pre-Season Top 30 poll. The NSCAA rankings included 25 teams, plus 14 teams which received votes, while CSN’s poll included 12 squads receiving votes.
Top Drawer Soccer just released its preseason Tournament 48 rankings and the Retrievers were listed at No. 40.
The Retrievers will face two squads in Maryland (No. 4, NSCAA, No. 8, CSN) and Penn State (No. 18, No. 20) that are in the preseason rankings. Louisville is the No. 1 team in both polls.
Seven-time America East champion Boston University is the America East coaches’ choice to become men’s soccer champions in 2011. The Terriers received five of seven possible first-place votes (coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team) for 47 points and narrowly edged out defending champion UMBC, which garnered the other three first-place tallies, and finished with 43 points.
The Retrievers opened the 2011 campaign at home on Sat., August 27 beating local rival Mount St. Mary’s. They are scheduled to take on Towson University on September 7.
