ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Carson-Newman men's soccer team led the conference with seven players selected to the 2010 preseason All-South Atlantic Conference teams, league officials announced Wednesday.

Senior defender Matthew Finlay (Liverpool, England), junior forward Robert Hill (Middlesbrough, England), senior midfielder Richard Marquetty (New York, N.Y.) and sophomore defender Adam Thomas (Morristown, Tenn.) are first team selections, while senior goalkeeper Jordan Moore (Hendersonville, Tenn.), senior midfielder Ben Backstrom (Knoxville, Tenn.) and junior defender Anthony Chiapetta (Morristown, Tenn.) have been named to the second team.

Finlay, a 2009 first team All-SAC and first team Daktronics All-Southeast Region selection, anchored a back line that allowed just 23 goals in 20 matches and also aided the Eagles offensively with three goals and three assists for nine total points. He also garnered third team NSCAA All-Southeast Region honors.

Hill earned first team All-SAC and first team Daktronics All-Southeast Region accolades last season after leading the Eagles in scoring with 16 goals, including two hat tricks, and 37 points. He dished out five assists.

Marquetty was one of only two players to start all 20 matches for the Eagles last season as he produced one goal and three assists to earn second team All-SAC honors.

Thomas, who was first team All-SAC performer in 2009, started 19 games as a true freshman and scored four goals and added an assist. He was also a key component of an Eagle defense that allowed 23 goals in 20 matches and had five shutouts.

Moore was one of the top goalkeepers in the league last season, earning second team All-SAC honors. He was among the SAC leaders in goals against average (1.22), save percentage and shutouts (three).

Backstrom tallied four goals, including two match-winners, and had four assists for the Eagles last season, while Chiapetta contributed four assists and helped the Eagle defense produce five shutouts and allow just 1.15 goals per match.

C-N went 14-5-1 in 2009 and won the SAC regular season title. The Eagles reached the NCAA Division II Tournament for the seventh straight year and advanced to the Southeast Region semifinals.

2010 MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON ALL-SAC
FIRST TEAM
Forward - Robert Hill, Carson-Newman
Forward - Dave Bailey, Lenoir-Rhyne
Forward - Fernando Silveira, Lincoln Memorial
Forward - Andres Jarquin, Tusculum
Midfielder - Adrien Moufflet, Anderson
Midfielder - Richard Marquetty, Carson-Newman
Midfielder - Aaron McKenna, Lincoln Memorial
Midfielder - Luke Mulholland, Wingate
Defender - Adam Thomas, Carson-Newman
Defender - Matthew Finlay, Carson-Newman
Defender - Lucas Pereira, Lincoln Memorial
Defender - Tom Poole, Wingate
Goalkeeper - Mike Watkins, Lincoln Memorial

SECOND TEAM
Forward – Lasse Sohrweide, Anderson
Forward - Rury Caulfield, Mars Hill
Forward - Friddy Hoegener, Mars Hill
Forward - Adrian Ochoa, Newberry
Midfielder – Ben Backstron, Carson-Newman
Midfielder - Oriol Cortes, Lenoir-Rhyne
Midfielder - Giovanni Malnati, Mars Hill
Midfielder - Nate Arroyo, Newberry
Defender – James Moseley, Anderson
Defender –Anthony Chiapetta, Carson-Newman
Defender - Jack Vundum, Wingate
Defender –Corey McCollom, Wingate
Goalkeeper - Jordan Moore, Carson-Newman