MEN'S SOCCER: JWU Chosen Atop GNAC Preseason Poll

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wildcats collect 10
of 13 first-place votes

WINTHROP, Mass. – Following a vote amongst the league's head coaches, Johnson & Wales University (RI) has been selected atop the 2021 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Soccer Preseason Poll, as announced on Monday afternoon. The Wildcats, who captured the 2019 GNAC team title prior to the lost 2020 season, received 10 of of a possible 13 first-place votes and 164 points overall in the rankings. 

Saint Joseph's College of Maine and Norwich University finished second and third in the poll, respectively, with one first-place vote apiece. 

SJC three-peated from 2016-18 amidst vast NCAA Tournament success, but its conference run came to an end with JWU's 1-0 double-overtime victory over the Monks in the 2019 title game. That came after SJC defeated Norwich and then JWU in 2017 and 2018 for the GNAC Championship. 

Amongst the three aforementioned programs, Norwich hosts SJC on Saturday, September 18 and Johnson & Wales on Friday, Sept. 24, while SJC hosts Johnson & Wales on Saturday, October 2. 

The University of Saint Joseph (CT) will enter just its third year of existence as a program this fall, having compiled an impressive 20-11-3 overall record to go with a 12-7-3 GNAC mark under head coach Paul Wright in 2018 and 2019 combined. The Blue Jays ran away with the fourth spot in the poll with 127 points, as they get set to open up the 2021 campaign on Sept. 1 on teh road against in-state opponent Mitchell.

Rounding out the top-10 in the poll included Albertus Magnus College with 110 points, Emmanuel College with 103 points, Colby-Sawyer College with 87 points, Regis College with 74 points, Lasell University with 54 points, and Anna Maria College with 48 points. 

Making up the rest of the ledger were Elms College with 45 points, Dean College with 37 points, and Rivier University with 33 points. Elms is the GNAC's newest incoming full core member, while Dean joined the conference last year but has yet to compete in men's soccer due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lost 2020 season. 

The 2021 GNAC Tournament is set to commence with quarterfinal action on Saturday, October 30, followed by the semifinals on Tuesday, November 2, and the title contest on Saturday, Nov. 6.

2021 GNAC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Johnson & Wales (10) - 164
2. Saint Joseph's Maine (1) - 151
3. Norwich (1) - 150
4. USJ - 127
5. Albertus Magnus - 110
6. Emmanuel - 103
7. Colby-Sawyer - 87
8. Regis - 74
9. Lasell - 54
10. Anna Maria - 48
11. Elms (1) - 45
12. Dean - 37
13. Rivier - 33

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 3,500 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience. 

– #TheGNAC –