CORVALLIS, Ore. – Rocky Mountain College earned a No. 2 ranking in the 2019 Cascade Collegiate Conference's Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Battlin' Bears earned 181 total points and four first place votes.

Rocky finished just two points behind Southern Oregon University who was selected first with 183 total points. Both the Raiders and Battlin' Bears competed against each other in the 2018 Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship with Rocky winning the title in penalty kicks. The Battlin' Bears advanced all the way to the 2018 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship quarterfinals before losing to the eventual NAIA champion, Central Methodist. 

The Battlin' Bears went 18-5-1 in the 2018 season and finished ranked No. 8 in the 2018 NAIA Men's Soccer Coaches' Postseason Top 25 Poll.

The Battlin' Bears bring back several important starters including first team all-conference forward Nolan Sherwood. Sherwood was an Honorable Mention NAIA All-American selection and the 2018 CCC Offensive Player of the Year. Other key returners include first team all-conference midfielder Marco Kummerle, honorable mention all-conference midfielder Finn Lane, and honorable mention all-conference goalkeeper Kristofer Wennin.

The 2019 season will be the 11^th year for head soccer coach Richard Duffy.

The Battlin' Bears will begin the 2019 season on Aug. 29 against Hope International University in Fullerton, California.


2019 NAIA Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll

Ranking	Team (First-place Votes)	Points
1	Southern Oregon University (7)	183
2	Rocky Mountain College (4)	181
3	Corban University (1)	155
4	Eastern Oregon University (2)	152
T-5	University of Providence	119
T-5	Carroll College	119
7	The Evergreen State College	100
8	College of Idaho	95
9	Oregon Tech	90
10	Warner Pacific University	85
11	Northwest University	77
12	Northwest Christian University	45
13	Multnomah University	37
14	Walla Walla University	17