Mercyhurst Earns Top Spot on PSAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll

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Lock Haven, Pa. – The reigning PSAC men’s soccer champion Mercyhurst has been selected to repeat as conference champion in 2013, according to the PSAC men’s soccer preseason poll conduct by the league’s head coaches.
 
Backed by 11 first-place votes, Mercyhurst enters the 2013 season coming-off an NCAA Division II Final Four appearance and a league-best 17-6-1 overall record. The Final Four appearance was Mercyhurst’s first in ten years and fourth consecutive trip to NCAA postseason play. The Lakers lost PSAC leading scorer Alex Manea to graduation, but do return 2012 All-PSAC First Team honorees Fernando Martinez and Ryan Lund, who combined for 32 points in 2012.
 
Gannon earned the remaining first-place vote for the No. 2 slot. The Golden Knights finished 2012 with a 13-6 overall record and an NCAA D-II Sweet Sixteen appearance. Robbie Bennett, a 2012 All-PSAC First Team selection and 2011 PSAC Freshman of the Year, returns to the pitch for the Knights having notched 10 goals and six assists during his sophomore season.
 
California finished 2012 fifth in the league standings but has been selected third in the poll. The Vulcans finished their 2012 season having lost in penalty kicks to Millersville in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Men’s Soccer Championship and with an 11-6-2 overall record. Millersville is slated to finish fourth in the league despite having been picked first in the poll in both 2011 and 2012.
 
Slippery Rock, who contended for the PSAC Championship trophy a year ago, garners the No. 5 spot, while West Chester sits at No. 6. Separated by just one point, Shippensburg holds the No. 7 slot, and Bloomsburg is ranked eighth. 
 
Ranked ninth and 10th are Lock Haven and East Stroudsburg, both of which lead the conference in NCAA playoffs appearances when competing as members of the PSAC, with East Stroudsburg having 19 appearances and Lock Haven holding 11.
 
Newest PSAC members Seton Hill and Pitt-Johnstown round out the PSAC preseason poll at No. 11 and 12, respectively.
 
Listed below is the PSAC men’s soccer preseason poll. First place votes are in parenthesis.
 
1. Mercyhurst (11)
2. Gannon (1)
3. California
4. Millersville
5. Slippery Rock
6. West Chester
7. Shippensburg
8. Bloomsburg
9. Lock Haven
10. East Stroudsburg
11. Seton Hill
12. Pitt-Johnstown