FOREST, Va. – With the first day of competition just days away, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference has released the preseason coaches’ poll for men’s soccer. This year, the league’s 12 head coaches have voted the Wasps to finish 11th during the regular season.

With their 2-1 home victory over the Hornets of Shenandoah University last year, the Wasps have urged the conference coaches to elevate them from the bottom of the preseason poll. It is the first time since 2009 that E&H has been picked to finish above last in league play.

This year, E&H is led by its three seniors: midfielder Jared Eiriksson (Blackstone, Va.), midfielder Kenny Sterne (Lynchburg, Va.) and defender Jared Oliver (Spotsylvania, Va.). The trio will provide guidance, wisdom and stability to a squad which is three-quarters freshmen and sophomores. Though the Wasps are young and have their sights set on the future, the experience gained this season by the 14 freshmen will be instrumental to the program’s success in years to come.

“We’re excited to welcome this large freshman class to the Emory & Henry family,” said Head Coach Robert Richardson, now in his second year. “Together with our returning sophomore class, they will provide the basis for a solid core in future years. The seniors and our current junior class are working hard to help them make the adjustment to the college game ahead of the forthcoming season.”

Perennial powerhouse Virginia Wesleyan College was tabbed to win the league, earning eight first-place votes while Lynchburg College was voted second. Only seven points separated third and fifth with Roanoke College (two FPV), Randolph College (one FPV) and Washington and Lee University (one FPV) occupying those spots, respectively.

Emory & Henry will begin the 2014 season with a pair of road matches in Indiana this weekend. The Wasps will face off against Anderson University in the Raven-Quaker Classic on Friday at 2:00 p.m. Saturday’s game will be a homecoming of sorts for Coach Richardson and will pit E&H against Earlham College, where he got started in collegiate coaching. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.

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2014 ODAC MEN'S SOCCER
PRESEASON POLL

(#) Denotes first-place votes