VIDEO: Stephen Lyons Interview

ROCK HILL, S.C. – For a second consecutive season, the Carson-Newman men's soccer team heads into the year projected to finish third in the South Atlantic Conference's preseason coaches' poll, as released by the league office on Wednesday.

The Eagles picked up 114 points in the poll along with one first-place vote. This comes after finishing the abbreviated spring slate at the top of the SAC table by the end of the regular season in back-to-back seasons and 11^th time overall before making a run to the semifinals as the No. 1 seed.

C-N went 7-2-1 in the spring with a 5-1 record in league action, being ranked as high as No. 14 in the nation during the year and ended the season at No. 22 in the final ranking from the United Soccer Coaches, marking the first time since 2013 that the group finished a season ranked.

"We've got to start again for this season," Carson-Newman men's soccer head coach Stephen Lyons said. "It's got to be earned, but we do return a lot of guys so they can take credit for what they've done. I know they're all motivated to do it again and go beyond."

Lyons' side led the conference in nearly every statistical category throughout the spring, including the fewest goals allowed in SAC history at four, seven shutouts, 21 goals, 22 assists and 64 points.

The Eagles lost just six players from last season's squad with 18 players returning, including SAC Freshman of the Year Theo Hardenby Öhrwall (Stockholm, Sweden). The midfielder joins five other Eagles back onto the pitch who also garnered Spring All-SAC status, including goalkeeper Bram Kaarsgaren (Den Bosch, The Netherlands), forwards Harry Whitehead (Oxford, England) and Nic Carsh (Newberg, Ore.) along with midfielders Thaylan Silva (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Greg Evans (Wrexham, Wales). Those six alone accounted for 16 of the team's goals and 13 assists from last season. Carsh, Öhrwall, Silva and Whitehead all scored four each with Öhrwall and Silva notching five assists apiece.

With just three of the 14 different starters from last year's team gone, the competition for starting time will be a stout one as 15 newcomers enter the fold. Eight Eagles who started in each of the 10 games played throughout the spring also return this year.

"It's fantastic to get the seniors back again," Lyons said. "Greg and Thay and the other guys, they bring a lot to the group. They've really helped the new guys integrate well, learn about the culture, learn what we're about. I couldn't ask for a better group."

Carson-Newman's lone first-place vote left 11 others on the board with reigning SAC Tournament champion Wingate getting 10 of those and 131 points to be picked as the favorite in the poll. The Bulldogs defeated C-N at McCown Field in the semifinal round to earn a spot in the championship match against Lenoir-Rhyne, winning their fourth tourney title in six years. Wingate closed out the spring as the No. 6 team in the country with a 7-1-1 record and holds that same spot in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, making them the only SAC side to head into the season with a national ranking.

The other first-place vote in this season's poll belongs to Lenoir-Rhyne, garnering 119 points to land at second-place. The Bears went 6-1-1 in the spring with that one loss being a 1-0 defeat in the SAC title match. They were ranked 16^th in the nation by the end of the shortened season but fell out of the 25 in the preseason poll, joining C-N in teams receiving votes.

A mere five points separate the final two squads in a top-five that mirrors the spring's preseason poll with Anderson and Limestone checking in at No. 4 and 5, respectively. The Trojans picked up 97 points in the voting after going 5-2-1 last season, making it to the SAC Championship semifinals where they fell to Lenoir-Rhyne, 1-0. Limestone's first season in the conference saw it go 4-2-1, losing to Wingate in the SAC quarterfinals, 7-1.

Queens lands at No. 6 in the poll with 80 points followed by Lincoln Memorial at seventh with 72 points.

Checking in at spots eight and nine are Mars Hill and Tusculum, receiving 63 and 48 points.

Coker, Newberry and Catawba close out the poll at tenth, 11^th and 12^th, respectively.

2021 Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll