BEVERLY, Mass. – Following one of the most successful seasons in program history, Suffolk men's soccer has been slotted to finish second in the Conference of New England's Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league office announced Monday.
The Rams scooped up 82 points and a pair of first place votes to take second, the highest preseason prediction for the blue-and-gold in its tenure in the CNE, which dates back to 2021.
Overall, the second-place projection ties the highest preseason forecast for the Rams since 2011 when the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) coaches chose Suffolk's squad to place second. It is the second straight season and third time overall that the blue-and-gold received a first place vote, meanwhile, while the pair of first place nods are a program record.
Suffolk's second-place prediction comes after Bill Maddock's team finished in the league's final four for the second time in as many years.
Roger Williams claimed the top spot with 86 total points and two first-place votes. Western New England – last year's top seed and conference champion – came in third with 78 total points despite garnering the most first-place picks with four. The remaining two first-place votes were on Endicott's ballot and the Gulls finished fourth with 75 points.
Gordon (70), Curry (41), Hartford (41), Nichols (31), Wentworth (31) and the University of New England (15) rounded out the 2024 CNE Men's Soccer Preseason Rankings in that order.
Maddock brings back 31 Rams from last season's 10-5-4 overall team highlighted by two-time United Soccer Coaches all-region honoree Brady Sorensen, who led Suffolk's 36-goal offense a year ago with seven goals and two assists. Sorensen is one of six 2023 all-conference performers back in blue-and-gold with Matthew Belluardo (6g, 1a), Jack Phelps (1a), Taj Jensen (3g, 2a), Tommy Handelsman (1g, 7a) and Diego Pierantozzi (6g, 1a) returning to the fold as well.
Eight newcomers have joined Suffolk's squad to help push the Rams to championship status this year with the season set to get underway at East Boston Memorial Park's James A. Sartori Stadium Friday, Aug. 31 against Beantown rival Emmanuel at 3:00 p.m.
| 2024 CNE MEN'S SOCCER COACHES' POLL | |||
| Team 1. Roger Williams 2. Suffolk 3. Western New England 4. Endicott 5. Gordon T6. Curry T6. Hartford T8. Nichols T8. Wentworth 10. University of New England |
Points (FPV) 86 (2) 82 (2) 78 (4) 75 (2) 70 41 41 31 31 15 |
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