Aug. 9, 2012

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's soccer team has been picked by league coaches to place seventh in the upcoming Horizon League regular season, according to the results of the preseason poll announced today by the league office.

"Whenever there is transition, there is unpredictability," UWM head coach Kris Kelderman said. "As silly as it sounds, I think it's great. I think it is great motivation for the guys to prove that it's wrong. And in order to do that, we have to work hard as a team and show everybody that we are better than that."

Wright State took the top spot this year with 40 points and a pair of first-place votes. Cleveland State was second, compiling 39 points (and two first-place vote), just edging out Valparaiso (38 and three firsts), which was the league champion a year ago.

UIC and Loyola tied for the fourth-place position with 29 points, with Green Bay (24 points) in sixth ahead of the Panthers, who earned 18 points in the poll. Detroit rounds out the list in eighth place with seven points.

2012 Horizon League Preseason Men's Soccer Poll
1. Wright State (2 first-place votes) - 40
2. Cleveland State (2) - 39
3. Valparaiso (3) - 38
4. UIC (1) - 29
4. Loyola - 29
6. Green Bay - 24
7. Milwaukee - 18
8. Detroit - 7