The University of Akron men’s soccer team will open its 2016 season ranked No. 2 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll.
The NSCAA released its preseason poll on Tuesday, and the Zips received 567 points in the poll, including two first-place votes as the top team in the country. Stanford, the defending NCAA College Cup champion, is the preseason No. 1 with 579 points in the poll, including 20 first-place votes.
Clemson, Maryland, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Creighton, North Carolina, Notre Dame and Georgetown are ranked third through 10th.
UA returns seven starters, including four Mid-American Conference first-team performers (redshirt junior Sam Gainford, junior Stuart Holthusen, seniors Adam Najem and senior Brad Ruhaak in 2016 from a team that went 18-3-3 in 2015 and won MAC regular season and tournament titles en route to advancing to the College Cup for the fourth time in program history.