Columns in order:
Adjusted RPI's 2015-17 (conference rating at top),
2018 non-conf. average RPI's and SOS's based on 2017,
2018 pre-season poll rankings
The Atlantic Sun Conference hasn't sent an at-large team to the NCAA Tournament since 1998, placing a premium on winning the conference tournament. Last year, Lipscomb edged now-departed USC Upstate for the final berth in the post-season tourney and then stormed through the field to advance to its first NCAA Tournament. The Bison are now the favorite to win the 2018 regular season, but each of the top four received at least one first-place vote in the poll of league coaches.
Lipscomb is led by forward Logan Paynter, a three-time Atlantic Sun first-team selection who finished second in the conference in goals (9) and points (23) in 2017. The Bison play a solid non-conference schedule, highlighted by a visit to Nashville by Kentucky and a mid-October trip to Louisville.
FGCU has finished 2nd or higher in 8 straight seasons. Senior defenseman Preston Kilwien anchors a stingy back line that gave up just three goals in six regular-season conference matches. The Eagles scheduled tough as well, luring Wake Forest and South Florida to Fort Myers and playing road matches at Charlotte, FIU and UCF.
Jacksonville also made a surprising run in the 2017 tourney as the 5 seed, and is expected to contend in 2018 with the assistance of goaltender Patrick Harding (2017: 1.54 goals against, 23 saves). The Dolphins play five 2017 RPI top 60 teams on the road in non-conference (UNCW, North Carolina, Portland, Creighton and UCF).
The Atlantic Sun Conference hasn't sent an at-large team to the NCAA Tournament since 1998, placing a premium on winning the conference tournament. Last year, Lipscomb edged now-departed USC Upstate for the final berth in the post-season tourney and then stormed through the field to advance to its first NCAA Tournament. The Bison are now the favorite to win the 2018 regular season, but each of the top four received at least one first-place vote in the poll of league coaches.
Lipscomb is led by forward Logan Paynter, a three-time Atlantic Sun first-team selection who finished second in the conference in goals (9) and points (23) in 2017. The Bison play a solid non-conference schedule, highlighted by a visit to Nashville by Kentucky and a mid-October trip to Louisville.
FGCU has finished 2nd or higher in 8 straight seasons. Senior defenseman Preston Kilwien anchors a stingy back line that gave up just three goals in six regular-season conference matches. The Eagles scheduled tough as well, luring Wake Forest and South Florida to Fort Myers and playing road matches at Charlotte, FIU and UCF.
Jacksonville also made a surprising run in the 2017 tourney as the 5 seed, and is expected to contend in 2018 with the assistance of goaltender Patrick Harding (2017: 1.54 goals against, 23 saves). The Dolphins play five 2017 RPI top 60 teams on the road in non-conference (UNCW, North Carolina, Portland, Creighton and UCF).
More previews to come...follow links to rpiupdate.blogspot.com's daily scoreboards, team schedules, conference standings, NCAA Tournament projection and the most updated, accurately adjusted Division I men's soccer RPI rankings available.
