LA MIRADA, Calif. --- After releasing the women's soccer preseason information on Tuesday, the PacWest Conference Office announced the preseason poll and Preseason All-PacWest team for men's soccer on Wednesday. 

Head Coach Todd Elkins group landed in the top half of the coaches' poll, sitting in sixth place with 88 points after posting a winning conference record for the second-straight year in 2018.  And like the women's team, the men's side also had two Preseason All-PacWest selections in forward Leo Thompson and defender Jake Munivez.

Each of the top-six teams in the conference had multiple men representing them on the preseason list while none of the schools ranked seven through 12 had student-athletes on the list. 

The preseason poll had a lot of movement compared to its previous version in 2018. Biola's sixth-place ranking in the poll is a one-spot improvement compared to a year ago while top-ranked Azusa Pacific and Fresno Pacific both moved multiple spots up the list after each team reached the NCAA West Regionals last season. 

Point Loma and Concordia both followed the Cougars and Sunbirds with over 100 points apiece in the poll while Notre Dame de Namur edged Biola by just two points (90 to 88) for its projected fifth-place finish. 

Biola has the opportunity to measure itself with non-conference matchups against Point Loma and Concordia early in its schedule before starting PacWest play on October 10th. The Eagles also play three non-conference matches at home and have two road fixtures against CCAA opponents in Cal State LA and UC San Diego. After the preseason, the Eagles open PacWest play with three matches against sides in the bottom four spots of the poll: at Holy Names, at Dominican and hosting Academy of Art. 

This year BU also figures to lean on seniors Munivez and Thompson, among others, as it looks to become a perennial conference contender. Both Munivez and Thompson earned All-PacWest selections at the conclusion of 2018 and join new assistant coach Kousei Mattox as BUMS student-athletes who followed up All-PacWest honors with preseason recognition the following year. 

Thompson started 15 matches and scored a total of 11 goals in 2018 to earn All-PacWest Second Team honors. Eight of Thompson's 11 goals came against conference opponents and he had three multi-goal matches, including a hat trick against Dominican in the last match of the season. Over the course of his first season in the PacWest, Thompson established that he could create scoring opportunities for himself, score from distance and with his head and score in key moments. Two of his goals were game winners and eight out of his 11 total goals came in the second half. 

Munivez earned All-PacWest Third Team selection after starting all 18 matches at centerback in 2018 and playing every minute of conference play. Munuivez' ability to use his height in the air made him an asset on both sides of set pieces for Biola while his work-rate allows him to cut off opposing attackers when needed. He'll be a senior captain for the Eagles in 2019, anchoring a defense that was tied for second in the PacWest with 24 goals allowed a year ago.

The 2019 season begins with a scrimmage at Occidental College this Saturday before the Eagles play their first countable match at Point Loma on September 5. Their first match at Al Barbour Field will by two days later against Northwest Nazarene at 2 p.m.