(Editor’s note: Cascade Collegiate Conference media release)
LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Rocky Mountain College men’s soccer program has earned the top spot in the 2018 Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) preseason coaches’ poll.
The Battlin’ Bears received 12 first-place votes and a total of 194 points. Rocky finished last year 16-1-2 overall, 11-1-1 in conference play, sharing the regular-season title with Southern Oregon University. Despite being ranked 11th in the final season poll Rocky did not receive an at-large bid to the national tournament in 2017.
Corban University landed in second place in the poll with 179 points and one first-place vote. The Warriors finished 15-3-4 overall and 10-1-2 in CCC. Defending regular-season co-champion and tournament champion Southern Oregon University is picked third with 157 points and earned one first-place nod. The Raiders will be led by first-year coach Davie Carmichael.
Closing out the top half of the conference are Northwest University (118) in fourth, Carroll College (109) in fifth, while The Evergreen State College (108) and Northwest Christian University (108) are tied in the sixth spot.
Oregon Tech landed at No. 8 with 105 points in the preseason poll. Rounding out the remaining teams are University of Providence (99), The College of Idaho (94), Eastern Oregon University (85), Warner Pacific University (56), Multnomah University (28), and Walla Walla University (17).
The conference postseason tournament has an eight-team single-elimination format featuring the top eight finishers in the regular-season standings. Conference play is set to begin Friday, Sept. 14.
2018 CCC Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Preseason Poll
First-place votes and total points at right.
1. Rocky (12) 194
2. Corban (1) 179
3. Southern Oregon (1) 157
4. Northwest 118
5. Carroll 109
T-6. Evergreen 108
T-6. Northwest Christian 108
8. Oregon Tech 105
9. Providence 99
10. College of Idaho 94
11. Eastern Oregon 85
12. Warner Pacific 56
13. Multnomah 28
14. Walla Walla 17
The NAIA men’s soccer preseason poll will be released Aug. 14.
