The Mountain East Conference released their 2022 preseason poll this afternoon and the University of Charleston finished atop the field. Coming off an NCAA DII national runner-up title in 2021, the Golden Eagles received 63 points and seven first-place votes following the league's coaches vote.
 
Charleston has won seven of the last MEC regular season titles along with eight conference tournament titles. The only other team to take home an MEC regular season title in the past eight years is Davis & Elkins who held the trophy in 2021. Charleston and Davis & Elkins battled it out for a Mountain East Conference Tournament title where the Golden Eagles were victorious, and then again in a meeting for a chance to advance to an elite eight matchup. In that match, Charleston once again defeated the Senators, this time in a penalty kick shootout. After that victory, Charleston  would go on and advance all the way to the national title game.
 
On the 2022 season, Coach Smee articulated, "We're expecting a very high level of competition throughout the MEC this season so to be chosen as the favorite is great, but it really doesn't mean a whole bunch. We have to play the games and we are looking forward to doing that."
 
Skipper Daniel Smee will be joined by returning staff members Gary Ogilvie and Travis Brent along with new coaches Chris Gribben, Pablo Terminiello, and Anatole Levallois. The Charleston staff is looking forward to the upcoming season where they will return several players from their successful 2021 season along with incoming new talent.
 
Charleston will kick off the 2022 season at Lincoln Memorial University on August 25^th at 1PM.
 
For the full release, visit the link.