Three PBC Men’s Soccer Teams Ranked in Preseason Top 25

SKILLMAN, NJ – Three Peach Belt men’s soccer teams will begin the 2011 season nationally ranked as the NSCAA released the preseason top 25.  Clayton State is the #5 team in the nation while Montevallo is ranked 19^th and Flagler 22^nd.

Clayton State is coming off its best season in program history. The Lakers finished 19-4 overall, won the Peach Belt Conference regular season championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II “Elite Eight” for the first time in program history. Head coach Pete Petersen returns seven starters from last season, most notably Division II All-American forward Ryan Pugh and Division II All-Region goalkeeper Brian Garcia and All-Region forward Matty Phillips.

Montevallo won their first PBC Tournament championship in 2010, hosted the NCAA regional tournament and finished the year with an 18-2-2 overall record.  The Falcons were not ranked in the 2010 preseason poll, but did appear in the regular-season top 25 ten times during the season, reaching as high as #2 in the nation.

Flagler went 14-5-1 overall and 6-2 in the Peach Belt Conference in 2010. In their first two seasons in the conference, the Saints have a 13-3 record. Only Lander University has better record in that span (13-2-1).  The Saints reached the 2010 PBC Tournament championship game and were ranked in the NSCAA top 25 eight times last season, climbing as high as #8.

The PBC preseason coaches poll will be released later this month. The NSCAA preseason top 25 can be seen here.