Aug. 26, 2008

Boston College men's soccer is ranked No. 6 by College Soccer News and No. 7 by Soccer America, according to the online publications' preseason polls.

Defending national champion Wake Forest is the consensus preseason No. 1, receiving the nation's top billing by three major news outlets -- the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), College Soccer News and Soccer America.

The Eagles were ranked No. 4 by the NSCAA.

BC is the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season and tournament champions. Head coach Ed Kelly welcomes 15 returning lettermen and nine starters, including 2007 consensus All-American Alejandro Bedoya, to the pitch this fall.

In 2007, the team finished 15-5-1.

BC officially begins its fall campaign this Friday, Aug. 29 against Boston University at the Newton Campus Soccer Complex. The first match of the season is set for 5 p.m.

The team competed in two preseason scrimmages last week -- against Southern Connecticut State University (Aug. 18) and against Northeastern (Aug. 22). BC defeated each of its preseason opponents by a 2-0 score.