INDIANAPOLIS – Oakland was picked to finish sixth in the 2018 Horizon League Men's Soccer Preseason Poll, as announced by the league office on Tuesday and voted on by the league's nine head coaches. The Golden Grizzlies earned 40 points. Defending league champion UIC was picked to repeat earning 70 points with six first-place votes.

"In all honesty, that's probably a fair spot for us to be selected based on last season's league results and also losing some key players," said head coach Eric Pogue. "In 2016 and 2017, we were selected as the favorite after graduating nine starters and this year we have been listed as an underdog while returning a talented bunch of players, so we have seen it both ways."  

"After a fantastic spring season, summer and preseason, we are very excited with where the program is at right now from a leadership, returning players and recruiting class standpoint," added Pogue. "Preseason rankings are fun but the end result is more rewarding so that will be our focus, one practice at a time, one game at a time."
 
Defending regular season champion Green Bay was picked second at 64 points with one first-place vote while Wright State was picked third with 60 points and one first-place vote. Milwaukee was tabbed fourth at 58 points with a first-place vote followed by Cleveland State to round out the top five with 48 points.
 
After playing two exhibition games against No. 9 Butler and SVSU, the Golden Grizzlies kick off the 2018 campaign with a home match against Western Illinois on Friday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. followed by a road contest at Marshall on Monday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m.
 
2018 Horizon League Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
Pl.           Team – Pts. (First-place votes)
1.            UIC – 70 (6)
2.            Green Bay – 64 (1)
3.            Wright State – 60 (1)
4.            Milwaukee – 58 (1)
5.            Cleveland State – 48
6.            Oakland – 40
7.            Northern Kentucky – 31
8.            Detroit Mercy – 22
9.            IUPUI – 12
 
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