MANSFIELD, Mass. – The Saint Anselm College men's soccer team has been selected to finish ninth in the Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Men's Soccer Coaches poll, revealed by the league on Wednesday.
The Hawks collected 29 points to edge out Bentley (27), Saint Michael's (26), and Assumption (25). Franklin Pierce grabbed 121 points and 11 first-place votes to take the top spot while American International and Southern New Hampshire slotted in second and third with 102 and 101 points each respectively. The Yellow Jackets grabbed the lone other first-place vote available in the poll.
Saint Anselm won four of its first five games to open the 2021 campaign, posting non-conference wins over Nyack and Roberts Wesleyan. The team fell to Saint Michael's in a non-conference tilt before posting 3-1 and 4-0 wins over Bentley and Stonehill to open NE10 play. The Hawks added consecutive wins over regionally-ranked Saint Thomas Aquinas and Southern Connecticut State midway through October. The squad headed to Assumption in the regular season finale in need of a win to keep their NE10 playoff hopes alive, but walked away with a 2-2 draw ultimately closing the season at 6-9-1.
Seventh-year Head Coach
Bruno Victal's squad suffered eight losses in 2021 by two or goals or less and four of those matches were decided by one goal. The Hawks defense posted four shutouts last season which is the most since the 2010 team also posted four clean slates.
The Hawks open the 2022 campaign against Roberts Wesleyan on Wednesday, Sept. 7 from Melucci Field. The opening kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. That marks the lone non-conference tune-up for the team before welcoming New Haven to the Hilltop for the team's conference opener. Saint Anselm heads to cross-town rival Southern New Hampshire on Wednesday, Sept. 14, marking their first road game of the season.
The complete NE10 preseason coaches' poll is listed below. Each team's point total follows its name and includes first-place votes in parentheses.
- Franklin Pierce – 121 (11)
- American Int'l – 102 (1)
- Southern N.H. – 101
- Adelphi – 93
- Le Moyne – 81
- Saint Rose – 75
- New Haven – 59
- Southern Conn. St. – 53
- Saint Anselm – 29
- Bentley – 27
- Saint Michael's – 26
- Assumption – 25
