The Hope College men’s soccer team is a close second in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Preseason Coaches Poll announced today.
The Flying Dutchmen finished in the coaches poll with 14 points — one fewer than reigning MIAA champion and preseason favorite Calvin College. Hope and Calvin each received three of eight possible first-place votes. Coaches could not vote for their own team.
Third-place Kalamazoo College picked up the other two first-place votes and totaled 21 points. Fourth-place Olivet College, which advanced to the championship game of the MIAA tournament in 2012, came in fourth in the poll, followed by Adrian College, Alma College, Trine University and Albion College.
Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Calvin (3) 13 points. 2. Hope (3) 14. 3. Kalamazoo (2) 21. 4. Olivet 22. 5. Adrian 32. 6. Alma 36. 7. Trine 39. 8. Albion 47.
MIAA teams begin non-conference action Friday, August 30. Hope hosts Oberlin (Ohio) at 7 p.m. at Van Andel Soccer Stadium. They will follow a 5 p.m. match between Allegheny (Pa.) College and Concordia (Mich.) College.
On Saturday, August 31, Hope then plays Allegheny at Van Andel Soccer Stadium at 7 p.m. They will follow the 5 p.m. match between Oberlin and Concordia.