Men's Soccer Release - ODAC poll - Guilford College

  • GUILFORD RANKED SEVENTH IN PRESEASON ODAC SOCCER POLL

Greensboro, NC (08/21/02) -- Guilford's men's soccer team is picked seventh in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's (ODAC) preseason poll announced Wednesday. The poll was selected by the league's head soccer coaches. Defending conference champion Roanoke, which returns five first team All-ODAC picks, earned the top spot.

Guilford, under sixth-year head coach Liam Behrens, return 16 letter winners from last season's 9-11 unit. The Quakers logged a 3-6 conference record and were eliminated in the first round of the 2001 ODAC Tournament by Washington and Lee, 2-1. Junior forward Tim Imafidon (Raleigh, NC/Wake Forest-Rolesville) paced Guilford's offense a year ago with a career-high 25 points on 10 goals and five assists. He earned all-region and All-ODAC laurels last year and finished fourth among the league's goal-scoring leaders. Senior Steve Harrison (Virginia Beach, VA/Kempsville) moves to defense after joining Imafidon on the All-ODAC Second Team as a midfielder in 2001. Behrens needs a replacement for goalie Ryan Fitzgibbons, a 2001 honorable mention all-league pick, who did not return for his junior year.

Guilford opens the 2002 season August 31 at Southern Virginia.

2002 Preseason ODAC Men's Soccer Poll (first-place votes in parentheses)

1. Roanoke (9)

2. Virginia Wesleyan

3. Hampden-Sydney (1)

4. Washington and Lee

5. Eastern Mennonite

6. Randolph-Macon

7. Guilford

8. Lynchburg

9. Emory & Henry

10. Bridgewater