IW men picked eighth, women 10th in preseason soccer polls

By Andy Krutsinger, Mt. Pleasant News

The St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) released their preseason soccer polls on Wednesday. Iowa Wesleyan was picked eighth in the men?s poll and the women were picked at the bottom of the rankings, in 10th.

The IW men are ranked ahead of Eureka College (ninth) and MacMurray College (10th). The Tigers took down both teams at home last season, beating the Red Devils 2-1 and the Highlanders 4-1 in their last two conference home games.

The IW women tied with Eureka last season and the Red Devils are one spot above the Tigers this year. MacMurray sits in eighth place in the poll, which means the three schools make up the bottom three spots in both polls.

The Tigers will play both MacMurray and Eureka on the road this season after hosting both the Highlanders and Red Devils in 2016.

Spalding University was picked to win the SLIAC this year in the men?s poll. IW fell on the road to the Golden Eagles, 5-2, to end their schedule last year.

Webster University was picked to win the league in the women?s poll. The Gorloks reached double-digits last year at East Lake Park when they took down IW, 12-0.

The full polls for both the men and the women can be found below.

2017 SLIAC MEN?S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL

1. Spalding University

2. Westminster College

3. Webster University

4. Fontbonne University

5. Greenville College

6. Principia College

7. Blackburn College

8. Iowa Wesleyan University

9. Eureka College

10. MacMurray College

2017 SLIAC WOMEN?S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL

1. Webster University

2. Fontbonne University

3. Westminster College

4. Spalding University

5. Greenville College

6. Principia College

7. Blackburn College

8. MacMurray College

9. Eureka College

10. Iowa Wesleyan University