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Bay City, Mich. -- The head men soccer coaches of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) chose Ashland University, defending regular season champion, to win the 2009 GLIAC men’s soccer title in preseason balloting.

The league's head coaches participated in the balloting, but were not allowed to vote for their team. The first-place team on each ballot received four points, while second received three points, etc.

The Eagles earned a total of 15 points and three first-place votes, narrowly edging out 2008 GLIAC champion Tiffin University, which tallied two-first-place votes and 14 points. Ashland, after finishing first in the 2008 GLIAC regular-season play, fell in the first round to fourth-seeded Saginaw Valley State University in the GLIAC Tournament semifinals.

Northwood University finished third in the voting with nine points. The Timberwolves ended the 2008 campaign with a 4-4 league record and a #3 seed in the conference tournament.

Saginaw Valley State and the University of Findlay tied for fourth place, each tallying six points. The Cardinals and Oilers finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 2008 league play.

Tiffin claimed the GLIAC’s men’s soccer postseason tournament in 2008. The second-seeded Dragons defeated Northwood 4-2 in the semifinal match. The No. 4 seed Saginaw Valley bested No. 1 Ashland in the other semifinal match. Tiffin then posted a 4-2 victory over Saginaw Valley in the GLIAC championship match.

GLIAC men’s soccer teams open play on Thursday, August 27 with conference play beginning Sunday, September 13. The 2009 Men’s Soccer Championship Tournament will be held on Nov. 5 & 7 on the campus of the No. 1 seed.

Ranked in order picked in the 2009 GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll:

1. Ashland University

Coach John Hall returns for his ninth season as the Ashland University men’s soccer coach where he holds a 76-56-10 record.The Ashland men’s soccer team returns to the field after an impressive 15-4-2 season last year.

The team returns 14 letterwinners and nine starters. Six players who earned some sort of postseason award will be back on the field this season. Senior Tom Mangotic returns after scoring seven goals last season and dishing out four assists. Sophomore Kenny Hewitt will look to be one of the main distributers as he had 10 assists and four goals. The 10 assists were the fourth highest single-season total in AU history. Senior Tom Rankin also comes back after he recorded nine assists last year. The nine assists marks the fifth highest single-season total in AU history. GLIAC “Defensive Player of the Year” senior Luke Brookfield also returns.

2. Tiffin Universtiy

The Tiffin University men’s soccer team won the GLIAC championship in their first year of competition under head Rudy Brownell. He enters his third season with a record of 23-12-1. Despite their championship win, the 13-6 Dragons were denied an NCAA postseason berth, and will look to strengthen their regular season performances this year to ensure their playoff spot in 2009.

Sophomore Ashton Campbell returns after being named GLIAC “Offensive Player of the Year” and First Team All-Conference, posting eight goals and six assists last season. Senior forward Tony Iyayi and junior goalkeeper Jeff Frisch joined Campbell on the all-GLIAC first team, and look to improve their game even more in 2008. Junior midfielder Rhys Cannella and senior defender Paul Brodnik also return after earning second team all-conference honors.

3. Northwood University

Expectations are high for the Northwood University men’s soccer team this season, as the Timberwolves return 15 players from a year ago.  Senior forward Ross Aitchison, who has been an All-GLIAC honoree the past two seasons, is the team’s captain for the second straight season.

Even with all the experience, Northwood still features just two seniors in Aitchison and Kevin Frusti.  A pair of sophomores who made a big impacts in their first year at Northwood return in GLIAC Freshman of the Year Keith Lough as well as First Team All-GLIAC performer Frederic Schoelzel.  The Timberwolves also feature a talented group of newcomers, which includes six international players as well as six Michigan natives.  Head coach Doug Carter is in his ninth season as head coach with a record of 58-66-10.

t4. Saginaw Valley State University

Head coach Andy Rishmawi (23-32-3) and the Saginaw Valley State University Men’s soccer team have high expectations for the 2009 season. Rishmawi and his team feel that they can compete at the top level and make a return back to the GLIAC Championship game and maybe further.

The Cardinals will be returning eight key players this season. These upperclassmen will help guide and build the incoming players in the future of SVSU men’s soccer. The talented group of incoming freshmen and transfers will be looked upon to make an immediate impact.

The Cardinals will get an early test as they face nationally ranked Lewis for their first game of the season.

t4. The University of Findlay

The University of Findlay men’s soccer team is coming off of a 6-11 season and are continuing to make strides under the guidance of head coach Andy Smyth, who has a 162-167-29 record in 19 years with the program. Findlay will be looking for senior B.J. Goodwin to have a big season and regain the form which saw him capture the 2007 GLIAC “Offensive Player of the Year” award.

Also back to aid the Oilers will be junior Brennan Williams, a second team All-GLIAC performer in 2008, and juniors Dan Stelletell and Nick Pahren who earned the same honor in 2007.