West Texas A&M was narrowly predicted to win the title for a second consecutive season in the 2021 LSC men’s soccer preseason poll announced on Tuesday.
The preseason poll reflects the opinions of LSC head coaches, sports information directors and various media representatives throughout the region.
WT landed the top spot in the poll receiving 171total points and 10 of 21 first-place votes. The Buffs are looking for back-to-back men’s soccer championships for the first time in the LSC after claiming the title during the Spring 2021 season with an 8-2 overall record and a 6-2 mark against league competition.
Midwestern State received 169 total points and nine first-place nods to finish second. The Mustangs were 7-3-1 overall last season and 5-2-1 in conference play. St. Mary’s followed in third with one first-place vote and 141 total points.
UT Tyler is tabbed to finish fourth this season and racked up 113 total points. The Patriots made their first postseason tournament appearance in Spring 2021 and are set to begin their first year as full NCAA Division II members. UT Permian Basin and Texas A&M International tied for fifth with 98 points. The Falcons also collected one first-place vote.
Lubbock Christian (70), DBU (45) and Oklahoma Christian (40) rounded out the men’s soccer preseason poll.
Three men’s soccer standouts earned preseason player of the year honors. WT’s Giancarlo Saldana was named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, StMU’s Liam Morrison garnered Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors and TAMIU’s Natxo Faus gained Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year recognition.
Saldana, a junior from Fort Worth, Texas, scored 10 goals in as many matches to lead the league in the category last season. The forward also added one assist and registered the game-winning goal in the Spring 2021 Men’s Soccer Tournament championship match. Saldana was the Newcomer of the Year in the LSC last season.
Morrison, a senior from Aberdeen, Scotland, anchored a back line that conceded just nine goals in 10 matches ranking third in the conference in goals-against average. The defender also added a pair of goals and an assist as the Rattlers advanced to the tournament semifinals.
Faus, a sophomore from Cacentaina, Spain, conceded only five goals in 542 minutes of action last season and registered a .711 goals-against average for the Dustdevils. The goalkeeper stopped 17 shots and ranked second in save percentage stopping over 80 percent of shots he faced.
The 2021 men’s soccer season opens in early September with nine teams competing in an eight-game single-round robin schedule. The Men’s Soccer Championship will include the top six teams based on conference points. The tournament will begin with quarterfinal matches on Tuesday, November 9 followed by the semifinal and championship matches at the No. 1 seed on Friday, November 12 and Sunday, November 14.
| 2021 LSC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll |
| Rank |
School |
1st |
Total Points |
| 1. |
West Texas A&M |
10 |
171 |
| 2. |
Midwestern State |
9 |
169 |
| 3. |
St. Mary's |
1 |
141 |
| 4. |
UT Tyler |
|
113 |
| T5. |
UT Permian Basin |
1 |
98 |
| T5. |
Texas A&M International |
|
98 |
| 7. |
Lubbock Christian |
|
70 |
| 8 |
DBU |
|
45 |
| 9. |
Oklahoma Christian |
|
40 |