In the preseason coaches’ poll conducted on August 12, Wheaton was picked to win its fourth straight College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Men’s Soccer title. The Thunder won the poll with 48 points and six first place votes after advancing to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship Final last season. They stand at 22-4, 6-1-0.

North Park was second with 44 points, including two first place votes after the Vikings made their fourth NCAA postseason appearance in the last five years. The Vikings currently stand at 13-6-1, 5-2-0. Elmhurst placed third in the poll with 35 points, followed by Carthage in fourth place with 29 points, North Central was fifth with 25 points, and yours truly the Big Blue came in sixth with 20 points, standing at 9-8-1, 4-3-0, after qualifying for the CCIW Men’s Soccer Tournament last season for the first time since 2002. Illinois Wesleyan came in seventh with 12 points and Augustana finished the lot in eighth place with 11 points.