Owls Tie Warriors for Top Spot in LEC Preseason Poll

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. –Eastern Connecticut State University and Keene State College share the top spot in the annual Little East men’s soccer preseason coaches’ poll for the second time in the past three years. The Warriors and Owls are projected to once again finish tied atop the conference standings with each team receiving three first-place votes and 54 total points.

Head Coach Dr. Ron Butcher has guided Keene State to at least a share of the top spot in seven of the past eight preseason men’s soccer coaches’ polls. A year ago, the Owls finished strong down the stretch—winning six of their past seven matches—to share the regular-season championship and earn the No. 1 seed in the championship tournament.  Keene State completed the 2009 campaign with an overall record of 13-7, marking the 12th time in the past 13 years the Owls’ have eclipsed double-digit victories.

Butcher returns 20 student-athletes back into the fold from a season ago, including sophomore attacker Joe Senecal (Manchaug, Mass.). The all-conference, second-team selection is Keene State’s top-returning scorer after registering 20 points on 10 goals as a rookie. The Owls kick off the 2010 schedule at 4 p.m. on Sept. 1, when Keene State travels to New England College. The Owls play their first home game on Saturday, September 4th, when they host Kean (NJ) University in the 2010 Xara Tournament at Owl Athletic Complex.

The Little East Conference begins its 22nd season sponsoring men’s soccer in 2010. In 1989, Eastern Connecticut State University, University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (Southeastern Massachusetts University), Plymouth State University (College), Rhode Island College, and the University of Southern Maine each formed the Little East Conference. Western Connecticut State University joined the conference in 1993, while Keene State College completed the present eight-team membership in 1997.