PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Eastern Connecticut State University men’s soccer team was named the favorite to take home the 2021 Little East Conference (LEC) title after accumulating 58 points and four first-place votes in the 2021 LEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Warriors finished one point ahead of second-place UMass Boston, which also received four first-place votes from the league’s head coaches.
 
Eastern has finished atop the final LEC standings each of the last two full seasons, including a 2019 campaign that saw it finish 17-3-0 overall and a near-perfect 7-1-0 in conference play.  The Warriors return a trio of all-LEC selections in back Emmanuel Agyemang and midfielders Andres Mayuri and Will Toomey; Agyemang went on to be named a Second Team all-Region selection by the United Soccer Coaches.
 
The Beacons return seven starters from 2019’s squad that posted an overall record of 12-3-4 and was 4-2-2 in the LEC. The group of returners includes 2019 Third Team All-American Nilton de Andrade (midfield), in addition to all-LEC backs Emelson Barbosa and Yuran Texiera, who was a Second Team all-Region honoree in 2019.
 
The complete preseason coaches’ poll ranking is as follows:
 
2021 LEC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll (FPV)
1. Eastern Connecticut - 58 points (4)
2. UMass Boston - 57 points (4)
3. Western Connecticut - 49 points (1)
T4. Keene State - 43 points
T4. Rhode Island College - 43 points
6. Castleton - 24 points
7. Plymouth State - 21 points
8. UMass Dartmouth - 17 points
9. Southern Maine - 12 points
 
NOTE: Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own program.