HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Coker College men’s soccer team will begin the 2010 season as the fifth best team in Conference Carolinas according the preseason coaches’ poll released Wednesday. The reigning 2009 Conference Carolinas Tournament Champions, have been picked to finish behind the nationally ranked No.2 Lees-McRae Bobcats, the Limestone Saints, the Belmont Abbey Crusaders and the Pfeiffer Falcons.
A preseason rank of fifth is the highest for a Cobra men’s soccer team in school history. Last season the Cobras were picked to finish ninth, but completed the regular season in fifth before going on to win the Conference Carolinas Tournament with a thrilling overtime shoot-out win over Belmont Abbey.
Leading way for the Cobras this season is a solid core of returning players including All-Conference selections Marc Mergena (Port-au-Prince, Haiti), Eric Stiefield (Eustis, Fla.), Daniel Shirzad (Orlando, Fla.) and James Sweeney (Huntingtown, Md.). To compliment his fine group of returners, head coach Paul Leese has brought in 18 new faces to help the Cobras reach the top of the Conference Carolinas standings.
Coker will take to the field for their first test of the 2010 season on Thursday, Sept. 2 at 5:00 p.m. when they travel to Florence, S.C. to take on local rival Francis Marion University in their first regular season match of the year.
Conference
1. Lees-McRae ……………………………………………………………………. (8) 79
2. Limestone ………………………………………………………………………. (2) 74
3.
4. Pfeiffer ……………………………………………………………………………… 55
5. Coker ………………………………………………………………………………. 53
6.
7.
8. Erskine ………………………………………………………………………………. 26
9.
10. Barton ………………………………………………………………………………… 12