2015 GAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll RUSSELLVILE, Ark. — After competing for the three previous seasons in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, Southern Nazarene enters its first season competing in the Great American Conference picked to finish fourth in the 2015 GAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The Crimson Storm will enter this season having to replace
Edgar Pineda and
Blake Rodgers, both of whom were named to the All-MIAA Second Team in 2014. They will also have to replace
Javier Caballeros, who received honorable mention consideration.
Matthew Lawrence, who led the team in minutes played and was also named All-MIAA honorable mention, returns to lead the charge for the Crimson Storm.
The league's head coaches voted new member Oklahoma Baptist as the preseason favorite. The Bison join the GAC after 11 years in the Sooner Athletic Conference out of the NAIA. Under head coach Anthony Yousey, he increased the win total by four in 2014. He brings back Pablo Garcia, who earned all-conference at midfielder as a freshman.
Ouachita Baptist posted a 7-7-2 record as an independent in 2014. The Tigers went 2-0-1 against their future GAC foes. First-year head coach Wilson Jones inherits a program that features Tinashe Chigede, a 2014 Daktronics First-Team All-Central Region selection. As a freshman, the only one to make the First Team, he led the Tigers with eight goals and four assists. He netted three game-winning goals.
Harding moves back to the GAC along with SNU after playing as affiliate members in the MIAA. The Bisons placed third in the GAC preseason poll following a 4-9-3 2014 season. Phillip White earned All-MIAA and Daktronics All-Central Region honors as a defender and forward Barry Foster placed on the Honorable Mention All-MIAA team.
