In the 2023 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll, released on Wednesday (Aug. 23) afternoon, Ashland University has been picked to finish in third place.
The Eagles received one first-place vote and had 101 voting points. Lake Erie is the preseason favorite in the Great Midwest with nine first-place votes and 119 voting points, followed by Tiffin (one first-place vote, 111 voting points) and the Eagles.
Ashland men's soccer finished the 2022 season at 12-7-1 overall and 9-5 in the Great Midwest, winning the conference tournament. The Eagles also played host to the program's first home NCAA Division II playoff game at Ferguson Field.
Under the direction of fourth-year head coach
Nick Roberts, the reigning Great Midwest Coach of the Year, the Eagle men have three returning all-conference performers from a season ago – junior goalkeeper
Ty Bowden (Goalkeeper of the Year, first team), sophomore defender
Francesco Chiappo (Freshman of the Year, second team) and senior midfielder
Matthew Roberts (second team).
Ashland will open 2023 at Ferguson Field on Aug. 31 at 4:30 p.m. against No. 5-ranked Charleston.
2023 GREAT MIDWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEN'S SOCCER COACHES PRESEASON POLL
| TEAM (FIRST-PLACE VOTES) |
VOTING POINTS |
| Lake Erie (9) |
119 |
| Tiffin (1) |
111 |
| ASHLAND UNIVERSITY (1) |
101 |
| Cedarville |
97 |
| Findlay |
73 |
| Walsh |
70 |
| Northwood |
68 |
| Thomas More (1) |
56 |
| Ohio Dominican |
54 |
| Kentucky Wesleyan |
45 |
| Trevecca Nazarene |
42 |
| Malone |
22 |
