Zips and Mountaineers Ranked in USC Preseason Poll
Story Courtesy of MAC Sports Information
Kansas City, Mo. -- The United Soccer coaches announced the Division I Men's Preseason Ranking on Tuesday, in which two MAC teams were named to the Top 25.
The Akron Zips will begin 2019 as the #3 ranked team in the country. Akron is set to return seven starters in 2019, including 2018 All-Mid-American Conference performers, senior Skye Harter (Copley, Ohio), junior David Egbo(Enugu, Nigeria) and sophomores Carlo Ritaccio (Westbury, N.Y.) and Sam Tojaga (Erie, Pa.) from a squad that captured the Mid-American Conference tournament title en route to advancing to title match of the College Cup for the fourth time in program history on the strength of an overall record of 15-7-2.
The Zips open their 2019 campaign traveling to Cincinnati to battle Xavier on Aug. 30, before Stanford makes only its second-ever appearance at FirstEnergy Stadium for Akron's home opener on Sept. 2.
WVU appears in the preseason poll at number #23 after finishing the 2018 season listed in the top 25 in each of the major poll's final rankings. WVU finished as high as No. 17 by Soccer America, as well as No. 22 by United Soccer Coaches, No. 23 by TopDrawerSoccer.com and No. 24 by College Soccer News.
Seven seniors are set to guide the Mountaineers during the 2019 campaign. The squad is coming off a 14-win season and MAC regular-season championship. WVU, which finished a perfect 5-0 in conference play, also advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.
West Virginia opens the 2019 slate on Friday, Aug. 30, at Monmouth. Kickoff in Monmouth, New Jersey, is set for 7 p.m. ET. The team's home opener is set for Saturday, Sept. 7, against Wright State, with kickoff at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium scheduled for 7 p.m.
