Men's Soccer Southern Conference

Coaches Tab Furman to Win Men's Soccer Title

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman was predicted to win the 2013 Southern Conference men’s soccer crown by the league’s seven head coaches, with the Paladins picking up five first-place votes in the annual preseason poll. The coaches also picked an 11-member preseason all-conference team, with Furman and defending SoCon champion Elon boasting three selections each.

Furman, which finished second in the regular-season standings in 2012 with a 12-4-3 overall mark and a 4-2-1 league record, picked up 35 points in the poll to outdistance Elon, which garnered 29 points and one first-place vote. Furman spent several weeks in the national rankings last season and saw sophomore defender Walker Zimmerman taken seventh in the MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas.

The Paladins are represented on the preseason all-conference squad by forward Tyler Peoples and midfielders Michael Gandier and Martin Ontiveros.

Elon went 15-5-2 overall and 5-2-0 in the SoCon in 2012 to win the regular-season and tournament titles in the same year for the first time in school history. The Phoenix, which also spent time in the national rankings, saw SoCon Player of the Year Chris Thomas and SoCon tournament Most Outstanding Player Gabe Latigue selected in the MLS Supplemental Draft.

Phoenix forward Matt Wescoe, midfielder Daniel Lovitz and goalkeeper Nathan Dean earned preseason all-conference nods.

Georgia Southern was picked third in the preseason poll with 23 points, followed by UNCG with 21. The Eagles had two preseason all-conference selections in midfielder Hunter Norton and defender Reed Norton, while UNCG was represented on the squad by defender Aaron Reifschneider.

Appalachian State was fifth with 17 points and the remaining first-place vote, while Wofford was picked sixth with 16 points. Mountaineer defender Harrison Delbridge and Terrier forward Carlos Dominguez Gonzalez completed the all-conference team.

Davidson rounded out the poll with six points.

Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or players in the balloting.

The 2013 regular season begins on Friday, Aug. 30, with all seven league teams in action. The 2013 SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship will see seeds 2-4 hosting quarterfinal matches on Nov. 9 or 10 and the top seed earning a bye to the semifinals. The semifinals and final will take place at Furman’s Eugene Stone III Stadium on Nov. 15 and 17, with the title match airing on ESPN3.

2013 Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Furman (5) 35
2. Elon (1) 29
3. Georgia Southern 23
4. UNCG 21
5. Appalachian State (1) 17
6. Wofford 16
7. Davidson  6

() denotes first-place votes

2013 Men’s Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team
F    Matt Wescoe, Elon
F    Tyler Peoples, Furman
F    Carlos Dominguez Gonzalez, Wofford
MF    Daniel Lovitz, Elon
MF    Michael Gandier, Furman
MF    Martin Ontiveros, Furman
MF    Hunter Norton, Georgia Southern
D    Harrison Delbridge, Appalachian State
D    Reed Norton, Georgia Southern
D    Aaron Reifschneider, UNCG
GK    Nathan Dean, Elon

-www.SoConSports.com-