No. 23 Western New England is the Favorite to Defend CCC Men's Soccer Championship
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Western New England University is the team to beat in the race for the 2012 Commonwealth Coast Conference men's soccer championship, according to balloting conducted of the league's 10 head coaches. The preseason poll announcement was made last week by CCC Commissioner Gregg M. Kaye. The defending regular-season and tournament champion Golden Bears earned 99 points and all but one first-place vote to distance themselves from No. 2-pick Gordon, which received one first-place vote among 82 points. CCC Preseason Coaches' Poll Release
Western New England, ranked No. 23 in the NSCAA preseason coaches' poll, will be a young but talented squad playing one of the nation's toughest schedules in 2012. All-conference junior goalkeeper Domenick Villano (1st team, 16-3, 0.64 GAA, 8 ShO), junior forwards Jake Bartnik (2nd team, 9 goals, 20 points, 52 shots) and Ryan Williams (2nd team, 8 goals, 21 points, 34 shots), senior defender Bobby Jameson (2nd team, 24 starts, five points), and junior midfielder Kevin Parma (2nd team, 23 starts) and junior defender Jon Axton (honorable mention, 15 starts, 1 assist) lead a list of seven returning starters.
Head coach Erin Sullivan welcomed arguably his largest--17 freshmen among 21 newcomers--and one of his best recruiting classes into preseason training camp on Sunday. The Golden Bears will face seven teams that made the NCAA tournament a year ago, including Final Four opponent Oneonta State. WNE's success this year will depend on how quickly the young players mesh with the veterans on the team.
2012 Commonwealth Coast Men's Soccer Preseason Poll Results
Teams received 10 points for every first place vote received, nine points for second-place votes, eight points for third-place votes, down to one point for a last place vote. First place votes are shown in parentheses.
| TEAM | POINTS (1st Place Votes) |
| Western New England | 99 (9) |
| Gordon | 82 (1) |
| Roger Williams | 77 |
| Nichols | 69 |
| Endicott | 67 |
| Salve Regina | 52 |
| Wentworth | 40 |
| Univ. New England | 26 |
| Curry | 25 |
| Eastern Nazarene | 13 |
