WESTERVILLE, Ohio — The Marietta College men's soccer team was picked to finish seventh in the Ohio Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released Thursday (August 24) morning by the league office. The Pioneers posted a 5-10-3 record last fall and finished with a 3-6 record in the OAC.

Defending OAC Regular Season and Tournament Champions John Carroll is the preseason favorite to win the title in 2023. The Blue Streaks earned six first place votes and 77 total points. Ohio Northern grabbed the other four first place votes and is close behind in second place with 75 points, while Otterbein is third with 65 points.

A much-improved Wilmington squad (51 points) placed fourth and Mount Union trailed closely behind in fifth (50 points). Capital (47 points) is sixth with Marietta landing in the seventh slot (31 points). The list concluded with Baldwin Wallace (28 points) in eighth, Muskingum (17 points) in ninth and Heidelberg (9 points) in tenth.

"The OAC is such a tough conference, one that is very unforgiving," said Marietta College men's soccer head coach Joe Bergin. "The poll reflects last year's performance so it does not come as a surprise to me. Hopefully, the boys see it as I do, a challenge to prove them wrong."

Marietta opens the 2023 season at home in the second half of a Marietta College soccer doubleheader. The Pioneers will battle Chatham University on Friday, September 1 with a scheduled start time of 6:45 p.m. The women's soccer team will host Saint Vincent College beforehand at 4 p.m.

The complete poll is below. First place votes are in parenthesis.

OAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll:
1. John Carroll (6) — 77 points
2. Ohio Northern (4) — 75
3. Otterbein — 65
4. Wilmington — 51
5. Mount Union — 50
6. Capital — 47
7. Marietta — 31
8. Baldwin Wallace — 28
9. Muskingum — 17
10. Heidelberg — 9