The Covenant men's soccer team has been picked to finish the year third in the USA South Preseason Poll, announced the conference on Wednesday afternoon.
The Scots come into the 2015 season as the defending USA South Tournament champions after a second place regular season finish a season ago. Under seventh-year head coach Nathan Pifer, Covenant will look to replace key members of last year's championship team as only three starters return in 2015.
Covenant picked up 78 total points and two first place votes to sit in a tie with North Carolina Wesleyan for third in the poll.
Methodist garnered six first place votes and 93 points to be selected as the preseason favorite. Greensboro, last season's regular season champions, picked up 85 points and two first place votes. Maryville (76 points) rounds out the top five.
The top eight teams in the final conference standings will qualify for the USA South Tournament which will take place Oct. 31-Nov. 7. The tournament will be conducted exclusively on campus sites after a six-year stint in Martinsville, Va., and feature first round matches at the higher seed on Oct. 31 followed by the highest remaining seed hosting the semifinals and finals on Nov. 6-7.
For the complete USA South release, click here
UP NEXT
Covenant opens the season on Sept. 1 at home against Sewanee at 7 p.m.