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Lindenwood Men's Soccer Picked To Finish 4th In OVC Preseason Poll
The Lions were 7-7-6 and finished fourth in the conference last season.
The Ohio Valley Conference released its 2024 men's soccer preseason poll on Thursday, with Lindenwood University picked to finish fourth, which is the same spot the Lions finished in last season.
SIU-Edwardsville, the defending OVC champion, was picked to finish in first place. The Cougars received 11 first-place votes and totaled 95 points in the polling.
Liberty, an OVC-affiliate member, received three first-place votes and totaled 79 points to finish in second place. Incarnate Word came in third with 67 points.
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Lindenwood finished just behind with 66 points and Houston Christian, which received two first-place votes, came in fifth with 59 points.
Eastern Illinois (36 points), Western Illinois (25 points), and Southern Indiana (21 points) rounded out the rest of the eight-team field.
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2024 OVC Men's Soccer Predicted Order of Finish
1. SIUE (11 first-place votes) - 95 points
2. Liberty (3) - 79
3. Incarnate Word - 67
4. Lindenwood - 66
5. Houston Christian (2) - 59
6. Eastern Illinois - 36
7. Western Illinois - 25
8. Southern Indiana – 21
In lieu of a preseason all-conference team, which are often selected for other sports like football and basketball, the OVC named a "Preseason Player to Watch" for each team. The player chosen from Lindenwood was transfer forward John Gates.
Gates, a native St. Louisan, who attended John Burroughs High School in Ladue, previously played at Loyola Chicago. He appeared in 48 games and made 39 starts, where he scored seven career goals and notched 12 assists. He also made the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team in 2021.
2024 OVC "Players to Watch"
Sam Eccles (F, Grad., Sheffield, England) - Eastern Illinois
D'Alessandro Herrera (MF, Jr., Houston, Texas) - HCU
Luke Eberle (MF, Sr., Arnold, Md.) - Liberty
John Gates (F, Sr., St. Louis, Mo.) - Lindenwood
Nacho Abeal (F/MF, Sr., A Coruña, Spain) - SIUE
Jaron Frye (F, Jr., Tulsa, Okla.) - Southern Indiana
Miles Merritt (MF, So., Albuquerque, N.M.) - UIW
Jimmy Baars (MF, Sr., Kudelstaart, Netherlands ) - Western Illinois
Lindenwood will begin its 2024 season next Thursday, August 22, when it travels north to play a non-conference game against Milwaukee.
The Lions home opener will be Sunday, August 25, at Hunter Stadium against Texas-Rio Grande Valley. Opening kick that day is set for 1 p.m.
