August 8, 2000
GREENVILLE, SC -- The Furman men's soccer team was picked to repeat as Southern Conference champions by the league coaches in a poll released today.
The Paladins were picked first on all eligible ballots as coaches were not allowed to vote for themselves. UNCG placed second and received one first place vote. College of Charleston and Davidson tied for third to round out the top four.
Furman is coming off its best season in school history as the Paladins tallied a 21-2-1 overall record and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament with wins over North Carolina and Wake Forest.
Furman is ranked fifth in the nation in the NSCAA preseason poll.
"I am looking forward to the start of the season," said Furman head coach Doug Allison. "Despite losing several seniors, I feel we can have a great season again this year. There are several good teams in the conference and it wonąt be easy to repeat."
Furman returns a talented nucleus of players, including first team All American forward John Barry Nusum and second team All American Matt Goldsmith. Furman will count on captains Carl Junot and Scott Blount for leadership. The Paladins also have a strong freshman class arriving on campus this week, headlined by McNeil Cronin, Sergei Raad, and Patrick Tanner.
Furman opens the season September 1 against Georgia State in Conway, S.C.
2000 Southern Conference Preseason Poll
First place votes are in parenthesis