BENNINGTON, Vt. — The New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) announced on Thursday the results of its 2015 men’s soccer preseason coaches poll with Southern Vermont College selected to finish seventh in the league rankings.

Daniel Webster College, the 2014 NECC Champions, is the favorite to finish atop the Conference standings after taking home six of the nine first-place votes.

Southern Vermont will be led by head coach Joe Baia who looks to bring his squad to the NECC playoffs in his second year at the helm. In his first season at SVC, Baia’s Mountaineers decreased their total goals against from the previous year by 25, decreased their goals against average by 1.51, lost eight matches by just one goal, and increased their save percentage by .161 percent.

"I am excited to see how we grow and develop this year with a new group of talented players,” noted Baia. “We have a lot of energy in our sessions and we are eager to compete. We are excited to overcome the challenge of returning to the Conference playoffs and develop a winning mentality."

Baia returns six players from the 2014 crew including a senior core consisting of Tommy Youngblood (Leonardtown, Md.), Sean Deegan (Seymour, Conn.), James Tschinkel (Freehold, N.Y.), and Matthew Snow (Centerville, Mass.). Additionally, juniors Taylor Baker (Petersburg, N.Y.) and Martin Carrillo (Quito, Ecuador), a student from Bennington College, will bring back their collegiate experience to the pitch for the Mountaineers. Baia brings in a handful of capable freshmen players to the squad from varying part of the country with another hailing from Australia.

Southern Vermont begins its campaign on September 1 when the team hosts Norwich University for a 4 p.m. home opener at Everett Field. Additional non-conference contests include a September 13 match at Springfield College and home games versus Castleton University (Sept. 16) and The Sage Colleges (Sept. 23). The Mountaineers then start the NECC slate at home on September 26, hosting Daniel Webster College during SVC’s Homecoming Weekend. The team will hold Senior Day to honor its departing members on October 17 during a home tilt with Regis College.

2015 NECC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Daniel Webster - 76 (6)
2. Elms - 68 (2)
3. Lesley – 61
4. Regis – 55
5. Newbury - 47 (1)
6. Mitchell- 41
7. Southern Vermont – 27
8. Becker – 20
9. Wheelock - 10

(Parentheses denote first place votes)