RIVER FOREST, Ill. – Dominican University's men's soccer program sits atop the 2021 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) preseason poll, as announced by the league office on Wednesday morning.
 
DU, the 2020-21 NACC South Division Champions, will look to build on a solid 8-1-1 record, which included a 5-1-1 mark in NACC play from a year ago. Zachary Gamster, last season's Freshman of the Year, anchors the Dominican backline which helped to produce five shutouts in 10 matches.
 
On the attacking end, Vicente Castro, the Offensive Player of the Year, will pace the Star attack as the returning league-leader in goals, assists and overall points. All-NACC First Teamers Daniel Dominguez, Garrett Boston and Nick Kowalczyk will also be major factors in the 2021 campaign.
 
The Stars received 335 points and 24 of a possible 26 first-place votes in the poll, which consists of rankings by each of the league's head coaches and head athletics communications professionals. Aurora University ranks second with 298 points, while Concordia University Wisconsin (260) edged NACC newcomer St. Norbert College (251) and Milwaukee School of Engineering (245) for third place.
Concordia Wisconsin and St. Norbert split the two remaining first-place votes.
 
Benedictine University ranked sixth with 229 points followed by Illinois Institute of Technology (157), Wisconsin Lutheran College (153), Marian University (135), and Concordia University Chicago (108). Lakeland University (73), Edgewood College (67), and Rockford University (55) round out this year's poll.
 
Dominican opens the season at home on Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 4 p.m., taking on Knox College in non-conference play.