2020 RSC Men's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll has Rio Grande (Ohio) on top
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- The 2020 River States Conference Men's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll lists University of Rio Grande (Ohio) on top this year. The RedStorm was just ahead of WVU Tech in the poll, which was conducted with voting by the 10 RSC men's soccer head coaches.
Rio Grande received 78 total votes and six of the 10 first-place votes. WVU Tech was not far behind with 74 votes and three first-place nods. IU East placed third overall in the poll with 62 votes and received the remaining first-place vote.
Rio Grande, which has won four of the six conference championships since it rejoined the league in 2014, was 16-4-1 overall, 8-1 RSC last year. The RedStorm was RSC regular-season runner-up and was edged by WVU Tech on PKs in the conference finals. In the NAIA National Championship, Rio Grande made it to the second round.
WVU Tech went undefeated its first 19 games of 2019 on its way to the RSC regular-season title and the thrilling PK win over Rio Grande in the finals. The Golden Bears ended the year 17-1-2, 9-0 RSC with the only loss coming in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. WVU Tech and Rio Grande have alternated conference postseason titles the last four years.
IU East is coming off a season of 13-7 overall, 6-3 RSC as the No. 3 playoff seed a year ago. The Red Wolves earned a playoff victory and a semifinals appearance and thus are third overall this preseason. Point Park (Pa.) University came in fourth in the poll with 59 votes. The Pioneers were 15-3, 7-2 RSC for third place but were not eligible for the postseason.
Asbury (Ky.) University was selected fifth in the voting with 48 votes. The Eagles were 6-13, 3-6 RSC last year as a playoff team. Brescia (Ky.) University placed sixth in the poll with 40 votes and is predicted as the final playoff qualifier. The Bearcats were 7-11, 5-4 RSC and notched a postseason victory last year.
Oakland City (Ind.) University, a newcomer to the RSC, was picked seventh with 35 votes. Midway (Ky.) University was next in eighth with 25 votes followed by Ohio Christian University (20 votes) and Carlow (Pa.) University (9 votes).
2020 RSC MEN'S SOCCER COACHES' PRESEASON POLL (AUG. 27)
(First-Place Votes in Parenthesis)
| School | Votes |
| 1. Rio Grande (Ohio) (6) | 78 |
| 2. WVU Tech (3) | 74 |
| 3. IU East (1) | 62 |
| 4. Point Park (Pa.) | 59 |
| 5. Asbury (Ky.) | 48 |
| 6. Brescia (Ky.) | 40 |
| 7. Oakland City (Ind.) | 35 |
| 8. Midway (Ky.) | 25 |
| 9. Ohio Christian | 20 |
| 10. Carlow (Pa.) | 9 |