Aug. 25, 2005

Chicago, Ill.- The Horizon League released the results of its 2005 preseason men's soccer coaches poll on Thursday afternoon, with the University of Illinois at Chicago picked to finish fourth.

Defending Horizon League champion UW-Milwaukee received six of eight first-place votes and 48 total points to top the poll. The Panthers were followed by Butler University, the University of Detroit Mercy, UIC, and Wright State University in the top five. UW-Green Bay, Loyola University Chicago, and Cleveland State University rounded out the poll.

The Flames were separated from third-place Detroit by a mere point in the poll, as the Titans garnered 31 points to UIC's 30 points.

Only Horizon League head coaches voted in this poll. Teams received seven points for a first place vote, six points for a second place vote, etc. The head coaches were not allowed to vote for their own squads.

UIC finished fifth in the Horizon League last season, playing 15 student-athletes who competed in their first or second year of Division I soccer. The Flames featured four players on both the All-Horizon League Team and the League' All-Newcomer squad last season that are returning for action in 2005.

UIC plays consensus preseason No. 1 and two-time defending national champion Indiana University in an exhibition friendly this Saturday in Bloomington, Ind., beginning at 7:30 p.m. Central.