BENNINGTON, Vt. – The New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) announced the results of the 2014 men's soccer preseason coaches poll on Saturday with Southern Vermont College being selected to tie for seventh with Becker College.

Elms College, the two-time defending league champion, was chosen to collect its third straight title with five of the possible eight first place votes.

SVC first-year head coach Joe Baia are nonetheless determined to be highly competitive throughout the season and be a challenger within the league, shooting for a playoff berth.

The Mountaineers finished the 2013 regular season in seventh place, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008. SVC had a 3-13-1 record a year ago, going 1-5-1 against the NECC. Baia and his crew are working hard to not only improve upon those marks, but to also do well enough to make it into the conference tournament.

Lesley University, Newbury College, and Mitchell College each received a first place vote in the preseason poll, ultimately being chosen to finish second, third, and fourth, respectively, within the conference. Daniel Webster College was tabbed fifth while Regis College received enough points to be the sixth-place finisher.

Southern Vermont opens the NECC schedule on September 27 when Lesley visits the SVC campus during the College's Homecoming Weekend for a match scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

2014 NECC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Elms - (5)

2. Lesley - (1)

3. Newbury - (1)

4. Mitchell - (1)

5. Daniel Webster

6. Regis

T7 Southern Vermont

T7 Becker

(Parentheses denote first place votes)