ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The Tusculum University men's soccer team has been picked to finish 10th in the South Atlantic Conference during the 2023 season as the SAC office released its preseason coaches poll and All-Conference team on Tuesday.

Four Pioneers were selected to the preseason All-Conference team as voted upon by the league's media relations offices. Second-team honors went to sophomore defender Othmane Chagour, while third-team recognition was earned by senior midfielder Michele Di Miele, senior midfielder Lars Schutrups and sophomore defender Linus Salomonsen.

The Pioneers went 2-7-5 overall last season and were 10th in the SAC with a 2-5-4 conference record. Six of Tusculum's seven losses last season were by one goal, which included four 1-0 defeats in conference play. The Pioneers were third in the SAC in fewest goals conceded in league play, yielding just 11 in 11 matches.

Chagour started 13 matches for the Pioneers last season and collected two goals. The Casablanca, Morocco native scored his first career goal against Lees-McRae on Sept. 2, then came through with the equalizing goal with 1:54 left to lift the Pioneers to a 1-1 draw with Anderson on Oct. 5.

Di Miele made 11 starts among his 14 appearances last year and had a goal and an assist. The native of Weston, Florida scored his only goal of the season in a 4-1 win over Carson-Newman in the season finale on Oct. 26, and had an assist in an 8-0 victory at Emory & Henry on Oct. 12. Di Miele has played 34 games in his Tusculum career, with 28 starts, and has two goals and three assists for seven points.

Schutrups played in 13 matches and made nine starts for the Pioneers last season. Tusculum earned results in five of his nine starts, and allowed a total of nine goals in those nine contests by the Wolvega, Netherlands product.

Salomonsen appeared in all 14 matches, making 13 starts. He scored a goal in the Pioneers' 4-1 victory over Carson-Newman on Oct. 26, and added three assists to share the team lead. The Stavanger, Norway native was second on the team in minutes played with 1,134, and played all 90 minutes in a match seven times.

Defending SAC regular season champion Wingate received seven first-place votes and took the top spot in the poll with 113 points. Five teams received at least one first-place vote, with Lenoir-Rhyne (101 points, 2 firsts) in second, Coker (98 points) in third, Catawba (88 points) fourth and Carson-Newman (87 points) in fifth.

Limestone was sixth with 82 points, followed by Lincoln Memorial (56) in seventh, Mars Hill (54) eighth and Anderson (49) in ninth. Tusculum received 29 points in the poll and was trailed by Newberry (24 points) and Emory & Henry (11).

Tusculum will play its 2023 season opener on Thursday, August 31 at Lees-McRae, and will kick off its 11-match conference slate on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Lenoir-Rhyne.

2023 SAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll

2023 SAC Men's Soccer Preseason All-Conference
First Team
F – Peter Plougmand, Mars Hill
F – Sebastia Cerda-Tous, Catawba
F – Mark Radoki, Limestone
F – Adrian Martina, Lenoir-Rhyne
MF – Celestin Blondel, Coker
MF – Pedro Santos, Wingate
MF – Nikola Sotra, Coker
MF – Nic Carsh, Carson-Newman
D – Owen Marshall, Wingate
D – Niclas Wittur, Wingate
D – Oliver Gardner, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Stefan Roeb, Limestone
GK – Aleksa Janjic, Wingate

Second Team
F – Frederic Benedix, Coker
F – Jorge Perez Prada, Mars Hill
F – Diego Jaramillo, Anderson
MF – Peter Majer, Lincoln Memorial
MF – Kriton Kiousis, Lincoln Memorial
MF – Salano Birch, Catawba
MF – Lucas Goldberg, Anderson
D – Matty Tricker, Coker
D – Harri Rowe, Lenoir-Rhyne
D – Harry McDonnell, Newberry
D – Othmane Chagour, Tusculum
GK – Jasper Rump, Coker

Third Team
MF – Joseph Allerton, Catawba
MF – Michele Di Miele, Tusculum
MF – Lars Schutrups, Tusculum
MF – Ethan Orozco, Newberry
D – Mariano Carpena, Anderson
D – Jacopo Suagher, Catawba
D – Luke Manley, Mars Hill
D – Linus Salomonsen, Tusculum
GK – Zak Stiffler, Catawba