Limestone Tabbed Favorite to Win 2015 Conference Carolinas Men's Soccer Championship
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Limestone Saints were tabbed the favorite to win the 2015 Conference Carolinas Men's Soccer Championship, the league announced today. Limestone, who enters the season ranked No. 10 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National Preseason Poll, tallied seven first-place votes and 63 total points from conference coaches.
The Saints are coming off a stellar 2014 season that saw them go 16-3-1 overall and 10-0-0 in conference play to capture a third straight regular season title. Limestone's regular season success allowed it to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament and book a trip to the school's second-ever Sweet 16 berth after a thrilling 1-0 win over Wingate University in the second round.
Pfeiffer was tabbed second by the coaches after receiving two first-place votes and 58 points. In 2014, the Falcons earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament bid after going 17-5-1 overall and 8-2-0 in conference play and winning the Conference Carolinas Tournament title.
Barton, a 2014 NCAA Tournament participant, was chosen No. 3 by the coaches with 47 points. The Bulldogs turned in a 13-7 overall record last season, which included a 7-3 mark in Conference Carolinas play.
King enters 2015 picked to finish fourth after garnering 39 points, while Erskine was tabbed fifth and Lees-McRae sixth with 33 and 32 points, respectively.
The Tornado went 7-10-0 overall and 5-5-0 in conference play in 2014. The Flying Fleet posted an 8-8-2 overall record and 4-4-2 Conference Carolinas record last season. Lees-McRae finished 2014 13-5-2 overall and 6-3-1 in conference play.
Placing seventh was Mount Olive with 23 points, followed by Belmont Abbey at eighth with 19 points. North Greenville closed out the poll with 10 points.
The Trojans concluded 2014 at 5-11-3 and 3-6-1 in conference play. The Crusaders wrapped up 2014 with a 4-9-4 overall record and 2-6-2 Conference Carolinas mark. North Greenville finished 2014 0-15-0 and 0-10-0 in conference play.
The 2015 Conference Carolinas men's soccer season begins on Thursday, Sept. 3.
2015 Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
| School (first-place votes) |
Total |
| 1. Limestone (7) |
63 |
| 2. Pfeiffer (2) |
58 |
| 3. Barton |
47 |
| 4. King |
39 |
| 5. Erskine |
33 |
| 6. Lees-McRae |
32 |
| 7. Mount Olive |
23 |
| 8. Belmont Abbey |
19 |
| 9. North Greenville |
10 |
Conference Carolinas is a NCAA Division II athletics conference made up of 12 teams from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. These institutions consist of: Barton College, Belmont Abbey, Converse College, Emmanuel College, Erskine College, King University, Lees-Mcrae College, Limestone College, University of Mount Olive, North Greenville University, Pfeiffer University, and Southern Wesleyan. Emmanuel College and Southern Wesleyan University are currently completing the NCAA Membership Process and will be fully competing in league championships in the near future.