PORTLAND, Ore. – Seattle Pacific was projected to place third in the league standings according to the annual preseason men's soccer coaches poll that was released Friday by the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
A league season was not conducted last year when the COVID outbreak forced the switch from a traditional fall season to the spring. Many member schools compiled their own schedules and no NCAA Division II Tournament was conducted.
 
The Falcons forged a 3-2-1 record in the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign after posting a 7-9-1 mark in 2019. They finished third in the 2019 GNAC standings with a 6-6-0 record.
 
Simon Fraser, which did not compete last year, was tabbed as the 2021 preseason favorite, collecting four first-place votes and 34 total points. Western Washington received the other two first-place tallies with 31 points overall. As GNAC winners in 2019, the Vikings are the defending champions.
 
Seattle Pacific compiled a 21-point total for a No. 3 listing in the poll and was followed by Montana State Billings (18 points) in the fourth position. Northwest Nazarene and Saint Martin's tied for fifth with 11 points each.
 
The GNAC regular-season men's soccer champion receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
 

The most notable change for the Falcons occurred on the sidelines as former SPU women's assistant Kevin Sakuda takes over the men's heading coaching post on an interim basis this year. He replaces Mark Collings who served 13 seasons as head coach before recently joining the University of Washington staff.
 
Ten starters return from last year's SPU team, including seven of the squad's eight goal scorers. Alden Massey, Travis Swallow and Tyler Speer each netted two goals during the spring.
 
Senior forward Titus Grant returns after producing one goal and two assists. He was honored as a first-team All-GNAC selection in 2019 after topping the team with nine goals and seven assists.
 
The entire backline returns intact, led by senior defenders Nik Reierson and Ed Weise, who have each been regular starters since arriving at SPU. Senior goalkeeper Lars Helleren returns for his fourth season between the posts.
 
Seattle Pacific starts the season with a two-game road trip to northern California, playing at Sonoma State on September 2 and Chico State on Sept. 4.
 
The Falcons first home game takes place on Sept. 16 versus Regis. Kick-off is 7:00 p.m. at Interbay Stadium.
 
2021 GNAC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
(Aug. 13, 2021)

Team (1st-place votes), Total points
1, Simon Fraser (4),  34
2, Western Washington (2),  31
3, Seattle Pacific,  21
4, Montana State Billings,  18
5t, Northwest Nazarene,  11
5t, Saint Martin's,  11