ATLANTA, Ga. - For the fifth consecutive season, the Auburn University-Montgomery (AUM) men's soccer team has been selected by the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) coaches as the favorite to capture the 2009 SSAC Men's Soccer Championship(s). In the challenging league competition last season, the Senators finished the regular season tied for second with a conference record of 7-2 and an overall record of 12-5-1. The top five teams in league play were separated by only a game and a half.

In points based on coaches' voting, this year is projected to be just as highly competitive as 2008. Second to AUM's 59 points is last year's tournament winner, Lee University (55). Last year's regular season champion, Shorter College (49), was picked third, just a few points ahead of Southern Poly State University (45). Shorter finished the 2008 conference season with a 7-1-1 record ahead of AUM and SPSU who both compiled 7-2 conference records. Southern Wesleyan University, who was the other team to finish in the top five last season with a 5-2-2 record, finished fifth in the poll with 32 points.

This year all eight teams will be competing for both the regular season AND post season championships. The SSAC Championship Tournament begins on Friday, November 6, with the championship game held on Friday, November 13. The winner of the tournament will receive the automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship.

Below is the complete 2009 SSAC Men's Preseason Soccer Poll: