NKU Selected GLVC Preseason Favorite in Men's Soccer
INDIANAPOLIS – For the second consecutive year, Northern Kentucky University has been chosen as the favorite to claim the Great Lakes Valley Conference Men’s Soccer Championship. In a vote of the GLVC’s 15 head coaches, the Norse collected 190 total points and 10 first-place votes to finish atop the 2009 GLVC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
The Norse edged Lewis for the top spot in the poll. The Flyers (14-1-4, 9-1-1 GLVC) collected 180 total points and two-first place votes.
They were followed by defending GLVC Champion Rockhurst who placed third in the annual publication. Rockhurst (16-1-4, 10-0-2) garnered 174 points and two first-place votes.
The final first-place vote was given to Drury. The Panthers (13-5-3, 7-4-1) placed fourth in the poll with 153 total points.
Indianapolis finished fifth in the voting with 127 total points and is followed in the poll by UW-Parkside (125 total points), Bellarmine (124), Missouri S&T (110), Quincy (101), Missouri-St. Louis (66), Southern Indiana (66), Saint Joseph’s (58), Illinois-Springfield (56), Kentucky Wesleyan (27) and Maryville (21).
Northern Kentucky finished the 2008 campaign 16-3-4 overall and advanced to the NCAA Division II National Semifinal before falling in overtime to Dowling, 2-1. The Norse posted a 9-1-1 league mark and tied for second in the GLVC regular season standings. NKU advanced to the championship match of the GLVC tournament for the second consecutive year in 2008, but fell to Rockhurst, 2-0.
The Norse return 14 lettermen and eight starters from last year’s squad, including Ron Lenz Division II Player of the Year and GLVC Offensive Player of the Year Steven Beattie.
NKU will be looking to collect its first GLVC Championship in men’s soccer since 1995. The Norse have claimed the title four times.
Illinois-Springfield and Maryville will be competing in the GLVC for the first time in 2009. The two new members bring the league’s membership to 15 for the 2009-10 academic year. The institutions will be immediately eligible to compete for the GLVC Championship in 2009, however, UIS will not be eligible to compete in the NCAA Tournament until 2010 and Maryville earns the right in 2011.
The 15 member institutions will compete in a 14-match round robin conference schedule and the top eight teams in the league standings will advance to the 2009 GLVC Tournament which is scheduled to begin on Nov. 1. The highest remaining seed following the quarterfinal round will host the GLVC semifinals and final on Nov. 6 and 8, respectively.
The complete 2009 GLVC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll follows:
|
|
Team (First-place votes)
|
Total Points
|
|
1.
|
Northern Kentucky (10)
|
190
|
|
|
2.
|
Lewis (2)
|
180
|
|
|
3.
|
Rockhurst (2)
|
174
|
|
|
4.
|
Drury (1)
|
153
|
|
|
5.
|
Indianapolis
|
127
|
|
|
6.
|
UW-Parkside
|
125
|
|
|
7.
|
Bellarmine
|
124
|
|
|
8.
|
Missouri S&T
|
110
|
|
|
9.
|
Quincy
|
101
|
|
|
10.
|
Missouri-St. Louis
|
66
|
|
|
|
Southern Indiana
|
66
|
|
|
12.
|
Saint Joseph’s
|
58
|
|
|
13.
|
Illinois-Springfield
|
56
|
|
|
14.
|
Kentucky Wesleyan
|
27
|
|
|
15.
|
Maryville
|
21
|
|