(MyKeeneNow) – The Keene State College men’s soccer team has been selected to finish fifth in the Little East Conference (LEC) preseason poll, released Monday.

The Owls earned 38 points in the poll. UMass Boston, the defending LEC regular season champion, topped the poll with 63 points, including seven first-place votes. Western Connecticut State, the defending tournament champion, secured the remaining two first-place votes and garnered 56 points, finishing second. Eastern Connecticut State (45 points) and Rhode Island College (44 points) were also projected to finish ahead of Keene State.

Head coach Matt Schmidt enters his third season at the helm, returning key players such as sophomore midfielder Christian Correa, who recorded three goals and two assists last season, and senior Giacomo Sinopoli, who notched two goals and two assists. Senior defenders Brandon Comire, Damir Hamzic, and Ali Alzawar will also return, with Hamzic and Sinopoli both earning All-LEC honors last year. In goal, senior Regan Racicot (1.43 GAA, five shutouts) and junior Eldin Husanovic (1.00 GAA, one shutout) will be back to anchor the defense.

Keene State, which finished the 2023 season with a 9-6-2 overall record and a 5-1-2 mark in conference play, will open the 2024 season against Rivier University on August 30 at 3 p.m.