A trio of preseason All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference first-team members should help the Fort Lewis College men’s soccer team improve on last season’s sixth-place finish.
At least the conference’s coaches think so.
The Skyhawks were picked to finish tied for third with the Metro State Roadrunners in the RMAC preseason poll Tuesday, receiving 27 points.
Coaches voted Colorado School of Mines first in the league, likely powered by senior forward Tesho Akindele’s selection as the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year.
The Orediggers received eight out of nine first-place votes. Defending champion Regis received the ninth possible vote and finished second in the poll.
Colorado Mesa, CSU-Pueblo, UC-Colorado Springs, Adams State and Colorado Christian rounded out the poll in fifth through ninth place, respectively.
Metro State senior defender Andrew Mejia was selected as the RMAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Skyhawks’ senior striker Casey Dean and junior defenders Johannes Sander and Artur Piperkov made the Preseason All-RMAC roster. The Skyhawks’ three selections were the most of any RMAC team.
FLC, which will host its alumni game Aug. 31 at Dirks Field, will open the regular season at Midwestern State on Sept. 6 in Wichita Falls, Texas.
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