LIMESTONE MEN’S SOCCER PICKED NO. 2 IN CONFERENCE CAROLINAS PRE-SEASON COACHES POLL

THOMASVILLE, N.C.—The Limestone College men’s soccer team was picked second in the Conference Carolinas Pre-Season Coaches Poll, as released by the league office on Tuesday. Queens finished just one point ahead of Limestone to grab the No. 1 spot in one of the closet pre-season polls in recent league history.  Both Queens and Limestone advanced to the 2006 NCAA DII Sweet Sixteen playoffs, where the teams played a close game with Queens advancing to the Elite Eight with a 2-1 victory.

Limestone, currently ranked No. 20 in the national pre-season polls, is coming off its best season in school history. In 2006, the Saints (13-3-6 overall/6-2-2 conference) earned their first national ranking, won their first conference tournament title, made their first appearance in the NCAA national tournament, and were named the Most Improved Team in the nation for Division II.

This year, the Saints are ranked No. 20 in the 2007 NSCAA/adidas Division II national preseason poll.  They are eager to build on this year’s rankings and last year’s success with the return of several key starters, including All-American midfielder Tom Beattie and 2006 conference Freshman of the Year and All-Region Team member, forward Ali Benson.  Other All-Conference/All-Region honorees on the Saints roster include goalkeeper Ryan Robinson and defender Adam Ennis, along with conference All-Tournament and NCAA Southeast Regional All-Tournament Team members midfielder Joel Moran, midfielder Sean Boyle, and defender Dominic Casciato. Several new freshman and transfers will add more depth to Limestone’s 2007 lineup.

Belmont Abbey was picked to finish third in the conference, while Pfeiffer and Lees-McRae rounded out the top five.

Limestone kicks off the regular season on Saturday, August 25 when the squad travels to Waleska, Ga., to face Reinhardt College at 4 p.m. The Saints will play their first home game on Wednesday, August 29 when they host Newberry at 4 p.m. at Saints Field in Gaffney, S.C.

Conference Carolinas Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll (# of First Place Votes in Parenthesis)
1.   Queens                                                            (5)                           94
2.   Limestone                                                                       (5)                           93
3.   Belmont Abbey                                                              (1)                           85
4.   Pfeiffer                                                                                                             60
5.   Lees-McRae                                                                                                    59
T-6   Mount Olive                                                                                                54
T-6  St. Andrews                                                                                                  54
8.   Anderson                                                                                                        45
9.   Erskine                                                                                                             24
10. Coker                                                                                                                22
11. Barton                                                                                                              15

-LIMESTONE-