KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Culver-Stockton College men's soccer team has been selected to place 10th in the 13-team Heart of America Athletic Conference according to the preseason coaches' poll released Monday afternoon.

The Wildcats, who will be under the direction of new head coach Brian Davidson, finished in a tie for ninth place last season with a 5-12-1 overall record and a 3-7-1 conference mark, one game out of a postseason berth.

Central Methodist, the two-time defending NAIA National Champion, was selected as the favorite to claim the conference title. The Eagles claimed both the regular-season conference title and the national title in 2018 and 2019. Last season's historic run also saw Central secure the program's first-ever Heart Men's Soccer Conference Tournament trophy in the postseason.

Missouri Valley, who wrapped up last season as a Quarterfinalist at the National Championship, was selected as the anticipated runner-up. Baker, William Penn, and Grand View rounded out the top five slots. All five programs closed the 2019 season ranked in the NAIA Men's Soccer Coaches' Postseason Poll.

The 2020 season is set to open on September 5th with non-conference matchups around the league. The first conference contests are set for September 15th with Graceland traveling to Grand View and Clarke hosting Mount Mercy. The top eight teams of the regular season will qualify for the Heart Conference Tournament, which is scheduled to begin on November 7th. A date for the NAIA National Championship, which has been postponed to the spring, has yet to be determined.

2020 HEART MEN'S SOCCER COACHES' PRESEASON POLL

1 Central Methodist
2 Missouri Valley
3 Baker
4 William Penn
5 Grand View
6 Benedictine
7 MidAmerica Nazarene
8 Mount Mercy
9 Graceland
10 Culver-Stockton
11 Evangel
12 Clarke
13 Park