West Babylon, N.Y.  - Entering the 2017 season as the No. 7 team in the nation, the LIU Post men's soccer was tabbed as the unanimous favorite in the annual East Coast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Additionally, junior Charlie Ledula was named the league's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

The No. 2 spot in the poll was tightly contested with NYIT narrowly finishing as runner-up with 84 points. Molloy, who advanced to the final of the ECC Championship a year ago, finished one point behind NYIT to come in at No. 3.

LIU Post completed its first unbeaten regular season in program history in 2016, and won its fourth ECC title in the last five years. The Pioneers also claimed the top seed in the NCAA Division II Championship and advanced to the East Region final for the fourth-consecutive year.

The green and gold were relentless on both sides of the pitch last season. The Pioneers scored a league-leading 3.05 goals per contest, while restraining the opposition to a stingy 0.73 goals-against average.

Last season, Ledula led the LIU Post offense, tallying an ECC-best 42 points (18 G, 6 A). His 18 goals paced the league's goal scorers, as well. Ledula's efforts earned him nods as the ECC, D2CCA East Region and ECAC Offensive Player of the Year, along with being named to the NSCAA and D2CCA All-America Second Team.

2017 ECC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll

    School                        Pts.     2016 Record

1. LIU Post (10)            100     18-1-1 (8-0-1 ECC

2. NYIT                         84       10-4-4 (5-2-2 ECC)

3. Molloy                       83       11-5-1 (7-2-0 ECC)

4. St. Thomas Aquinas  58        8-5-5 (7-2-0 ECC)

5. Mercy                        57        9-4-3 (3-4-2 ECC)

6. Dist. Columbia          54        5-11-1 (4-4-1 ECC)

7. Queens                      40        6-7-4 (3-4-2 ECC)

8. Bridgeport                 34        3-11-2 (3-4-2 ECC)

9. Roberts Wesleyan     26        4-11-1 (2-7-0 ECC)

10. Daemen                  14         2-15-0 (0-9-0 ECC)