Drury University

INDIANAPOLIS – Drury University has been selected as the pre-season favorite to claim the 2010 GLVC Men’s Soccer Championship. In a vote of the GLVC’s 15 head coaches, the Panthers collected 188 total points and eight first-place votes to finish atop the 2010 GLVC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll. 

The Panthers (21-2, 13-1 GLVC) edged Northern Kentucky for the top spot in the poll. The Norse (15-6-2, 11-3 GLVC) collected 183 total points and three first-place votes.

 They were followed by Lewis who placed third in the annual publication. The Flyers (16-3-3,10-3) garnered 168 points and three first-place votes.

 The final first-place vote was given to Bellarmine. The Knights (11-6-1, 8-5) placed fourth in the poll with 159 total points.

UW-Parkside finished fifth in the voting with 142 total points and is followed in the poll by Rockhurst (115 total points), Quincy (112), Missouri S&T (108), Missouri-St. Louis (95), Indianapolis (81), Saint Joseph’s (76), Illinois-Springfield (62), Kentucky Wesleyan (37) and Maryville (28), and Illinois-Springfield (21).

Drury defeated Northern Kentucky in the 2009 GLVC championship match, 1-0, to claim the school’s first men’s soccer title.  The Panthers advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Final before falling to Lewis, 1-0.

 Drury is led by head coach Ryan Swan, the 2009 GLVC Coach of the Year, and last season’s GLVC Defensive Player of the Year Stephen Conner, a junior goalkeeper for the Panthers.

 The 15 member institutions will compete in a 14-match round robin conference schedule and the top eight teams in the league standings will advance to the 2010 GLVC Tournament which is scheduled to begin on Oct. 31. The highest remaining seed following the quarterfinal round will host the GLVC semifinals and final on Nov. 5 and 7, respectively.

 The complete 2010 GLVC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll follows:

For more information about the GLVC and each conference member, please visit www.glvcsports.org.