CHARLOTTE, N.C. – For the third consecutive year, Winthrop University’s men’s soccer team has been chosen first in the Big South Conference’s annual preseason poll, as voted by the League’s Head Men’s Soccer Coaches, it was announced today by the League office.  In addition the coaches voted Eagle senior forward Daniel Revivo the League’s Preseason Player of the Year.

Winthrop, who looks to win its second championship in three years, received four first-place votes and 73 out of a possible 81 points in the voting and finished ahead of Liberty, which totaled four first-place votes and 72 points from the panel.  The Eagles, led by coach Rich Posipanko, finished the 2007 season 3-2-1 in League play and 11-4-3 overall.  The Eagles had the nation’s 11th-best scoring offense as Winthrop put in 2.17 goals per game at season’s end.

Coastal Carolina landed in the third spot with one first-place vote and 66 points, while Radford picked up 50 points to finish fourth.  High Point rounded out the top five with 43 points.  UNC Asheville landed the No. 6 slot with 34 points, followed by VMI, who notched 31 points.  Big South newcomers Gardner-Webb was eighth with 24 points and Presbyterian finished up the poll with 12 points. 

Revivo, a forward from Richmond Hill, Ontario, closed out the 2007 campaign ranked No. 5 nationally with 1.76 points per game and seventh in the country with 0.76 goals per game.  He was named a 2008 preseason All-American by College Soccer News and was one of two Big South players named to the 2008 Hermann Trophy Watch List.  The 2006 Big South Tournament MVP, Revivo found the back of the net 13 times last season and dished out four assists.  Revivo garnered five first-place nods and 12 points from the panel.  Liberty’s Joshua Boateng, who joins Revivo on the Hermann Trophy Watch List, finished second in the voting with one top vote and seven points.  UNC Asheville’s Scott Szymanski picked up one first-place vote to finish third with four points.  Kyle Russell of Coastal Carolina and Chris Curtis of VMI each received one first-place vote to round out the top five with two points each.

The 2008 Big South men’s soccer season begins Friday, Aug. 29 with seven games on the slate.  The men’s soccer Conference Championship is scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, November 13-16 on the campus of Coastal Carolina University.

2008 Big South Conference Preseason Men’s Soccer Poll

Rk Team (first-place votes)  1  2  3  4  5  6  7 8 9  Points
1. Winthrop (4)                    36 24 7 6 -- -- -- -- -- 73
2. Liberty (4)                       36 32 -- -- -- 4 -- -- -- 72
3. Coastal Carolina (1)          9 8 49 -- -- -- -- -- -- 66
4. Radford                            -- -- 7 24 15 4 -- -- -- 50
5. High Point                        -- -- -- 12 20 8 3 -- -- 43
6. UNC Asheville                   -- -- -- 12 5 4 9 4 -- 34
7. VMI                                     -- 8 -- -- 5 4 6 8 -- 31
8. Gardner-Webb                  -- -- -- -- -- 12 6 4 2 24
9. Presbyterian                       -- -- -- -- -- -- 3 2 7 12