August 25, 2010

AUGUSTA, GA – The North Georgia College & State University men’s soccer team has been picked to finish 8th out of nine teams in the 2010 Peach Belt Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released on Wednesday afternoon from the league office.

Flagler College, the defending PBC regular season champions were picked to win the league with 62 total points, while Lander University, the 2009 PBC Tournament champions, were picked second with 53 points.

Clayton State and the University of Montevallo both received a first place voted and were tabbed third and fourth respectively, while Francis Marion, UNC Pembroke, USC Aiken, North Georgia, and Georgia Southwestern rounded out the preseason poll.

The 2010 version of the North Georgia men’s soccer team will feature plenty of new faces, while a handful of key returners will continue to anchor a squad on the verge of a breakout season. Two-time preseason All-Conference performer Ben Chedgy will take charge of the defense during his senior year, while Rade Tanaskovic will continue to patrol the net and prove himself as the best stopper in the league.

The 2010 North Georgia men’s soccer season opens on Sept. 3, with conference play beginning Sept. 11 and continuing on to the PBC Tournament Nov. 2, 5-7 at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Ga.  

The men’s soccer championships are being held as part of the first-ever PBC Fall Festival which will unite the men’s and women’s soccer championships and the men’s and women’s cross country championships at the same facility on the same weekend.

The coaches poll is listed below, coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.

 

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	Total
1. Flagler	7	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	62
2. Lander	0	5	3	0	0	0	0	0	53
t3. Clayton State	1	2	2	2	1	0	0	0	48
t3. Montevallo	1	2	2	2	1	0	0	0	48
5. Francis Marion	0	0	1	3	4	0	0	0	37
6. UNC Pembroke	0	0	0	2	3	3	0	0	31
7. USC Aiken	0	0	0	0	0	4	3	0	19
8. North Georgia	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	0	18
9. Georgia Southwestern	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	8