By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference released its Preseason Coaches Poll on Wednesday (Jan. 20) for the upcoming spring season, which begins in late February. The coaches picked Fort Hays State second among the seven teams, though the Tigers received three first place votes out of the seven possible first place votes. The Tigers were the GAC regular season champion in 2019.
Rogers State tops the poll with 34 votes, while receiving the four other first place votes possible. FHSU was close behind with 31. Northeastern State received 27 votes to sit third on the list. Rogers State was the GAC Tournament Champion in 2019, but FHSU was the only team from the GAC to make the NCAA Tournament field as the conference tournament winner did not receive an automatic bid to the national tournament.
The spring schedule among GAC teams consists of six matches with one contest against each member. FHSU plans to play two matches at home, two on the road, and two at neutral sites. The GAC plans to hold a conference tournament after the six-match schedule, taking place April 10 and 17, but there is no national tournament this season due to the NCAA canceling its championships for fall sports back in 2020.
| GAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll | ||
| Team | Total Points | 1st Place Votes |
| Rogers State | 34 | 4 |
| Fort Hays State | 31 | 3 |
| Northeastern State | 27 | |
| Harding | 20 | |
| Newman | 18 | |
| Southern Nazarene | 9 | |
| Ouachita Baptist | 8 |