Aug. 19, 2008

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A unanimous pick at No. 1, Azusa Pacific (Calif.) begins the season as the top men’s soccer program in the 2008 NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll, announced today (Aug. 19). APU won its first ever men’s soccer championship thanks to a 2-0 victory over fellow conference member Concordia (Calif.) last season. The Cougars earned all 18 first-place votes and 498 total points. One player expected back from last year’s Championship team is junior defender Eric Winblad, who received 2007 NAIA All-America Honorable Mention status.

Concordia starts this season where they left off in 2007, at No. 2. The Eagles notched 468 total points after going 19-4-0 last season. A 2007 Semifinal participant, Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.) stands at No. 3 while Fresno Pacific (Calif.) holds the No. 4 position and Simon Fraser (B.C.) is at No. 5.

Three teams enter the Top 25 poll after being left out in the final 2007 rating; No. 20 Mid-Continent (Ky.), No. 21 Benedictine (Kan.), and No. 25 Savannah College of Art & Design (Ga.).

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences, independents and unaffiliated groups. The first regular season Top 25 poll will be announced on Sept. 9.

For more information on NAIA men’s soccer, please click here.

2008 NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll – (Aug. 19)

RANK	LAST YEAR*	SCHOOL	VOTES	2007 FINAL RECORD	FINAL POINTS
1	1	Azusa Pacific University (Calif.)	18	20-1-1	498
2	10	Concordia University (Calif.)		19-4-0	468
3	14	Auburn University Montgomery (Ala.)		17-5-0	444
4	5	Fresno Pacific University (Calif.)		19-3-1	443
5	8	Simon Fraser University (B.C.)		17-2-1	422
6	2	Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.)		19-3-0	419
7	3	Southern Nazarene University (Okla.)		18-1-1	407
8	7	Graceland University (Iowa)		17-2-2	402
9	6	University of Mobile (Ala.)		14-5-1	362
10	18	University of Rio Grande (Ohio)		13-5-1	323
11	9	Berry College (Ga.)		15-3-0	314
12	23	Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.)		12-7-2	269
13	16	Park University (Mo.)		13-6-0	266
14	4	Ohio Dominican University		19-3-0	260
15	13	Oklahoma City University		15-5-1	249
16	12	Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.)		13-3-1	225
17	17	Lee University (Tenn.)		16-5-3	212
18	15	McKendree University (Ill.)		16-2-1	208
19	11	Indiana Wesleyan University		19-6-1	203
20	NR	Mid-Continent University (Ky.)		13-7-2	178
21	RV	Benedictine College (Kan.)		13-4-1	172
22	19	University of Maine at Fort Kent		21-1-0	163
23	22	Hastings College (Neb.)		13-4-1	162
24	21	Concordia University (Ore.)		16-4-0	109
25	NR	Savannah College of Art and Design (Ga.)		13-5-0	98

Others receiving votes:

Covenant College (Ga.) 97; Madonna University (Mich.) 91; Grand View College (Iowa) 84; Notre Dame College (Ohio) 80; Lindenwood University (Mo.) 44; University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) 43; William Carey University (Miss.) 29; Friends University (Kan.) 20; Northwestern College (Iowa) 18; Northwood University 14; Bethel College (Tenn.) 12; University of Texas at Brownsville 11; Hannibal-LaGrange College (Mo.) 9; Saint Ambrose University (Iowa) 9; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) 4; Montreat College (N.C.) 3; Columbia College (Mo.) 3; Westminster College (Utah) 3; Rogers State University (Okla.) 1; Warner Pacific College (Ore.) 1; Kansas Wesleyan University 1; Taylor University (Ind.) 1; Martin Methodist College (Tenn.) 1; Union University (Tenn.) 1; Aquinas College (Mich.) 1; Davenport University (Mich.) 1; State University of New York at Canton (N.Y.) 1

* Rating from the 2007 final regular season poll.