RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. -- Northeastern State men's soccer is tabbed to finish in third place in a preseason vote by the Great American Conference and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association men's soccer coaches, league officials announced on Thursday afternoon.

The RiverHawks earned 24 points and are coming off a 2021 spring season where they reached the GAC/MIAA Tournament finals.

Rogers State was narrowly picked to win this year's title with 36 but garnered the majority of the first play tallies with six.   Fort Hays State came in second with 31 points and the remaining first-place votes. 

Coming in behind NSU is Southern Nazarene, who had 20 points, Harding with 17, Newman (13), and Ouachita Baptist rounded out the poll with six points.

The RiverHawks will open the season ranked #19-nationally and six non-conference contests before opening a 12 match GAC/MIAA schedule on Sept. 23 hosting Harding.  Preseason play starts on August 21, with NSU visiting Oral Roberts for a friendly.