KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Aug. 3, 2016) - The college soccer season kicks off in a few weeks and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced its Preseason Top-25 rankings for Division II on Tuesday. The LIU Post men's soccer team, the two-time defending NCAA East Region champions, found itself ranked ninth heading into the 2016 campaign.

The Pioneers, who went 15-3-3 last year, finished the 2015 season as the No. 8 team in the country.

The defending national champion, Pfeiffer University, took the preseason No. 1 spot, following a 25-0-0 season, the first undefeated Division II national champion in 16 years. University of Charleston, which knocked out the Pioneers in the quarterfinals, claimed the No. 2 spot. Rockhurst University, Cal Poly Pomona, the national runner-up, and Palm Beach Atlantic University rounded out the Top-5.

LIU Post returns one of its two NSCAA All-Americans. Back David Arvidsson (Gothenburg, Sweden) will be the anchor for the Pioneer defense. In addition, the green and gold return NSCAA All-East Region selections in forward Jason Lampkin (Hawardon, North Wales, U.K.) and goalkeeper Jesper Malmstrom (Linkopping, Sweden), the 2015 East Coast Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, and the 2015 ECC Rookie of the Year, Charlie Ledula (London, England).

Head Coach Andreas Lindberg and his Pioneers kick off the 2016 regular season on Thursday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m., when they take on Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y., as part of the Adelphi Alumni Invitational.