ERIE, Pa. – Both the Penn State Behrend men's and women's soccer teams have been selected as the favorites to win the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference this season, as announced in a preseason coaches' poll that were released Tuesday.
The men posted an overall record of 16-5-1 in 2017 and advanced to the second round of the ECAC Tournament. The Behrend Lions went 9-0 against AMCC teams during the regular season and advanced to the AMCC Tournament Finals.
Senior goalkeeper Chris Ralph (Murrysville, PA / Franklin Regional) was named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday as well. Ralph allowed just 13 goals last season and posted a goals against average of 0.72 which ranked first in the AMCC. Ralph is a two-time First Team All-Region honoree as well as a two-time AMCC First Team All-Conference selection. In 2017, Ralph was named the AMCC Defensive Player of the Year.
Medaille was slated to place second. Mount Aloysius College and La Roche rounded out the top four spots in the AMCC preseason poll.
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
| No. 1 | Penn State Behrend |
| No. 2 | Medaille |
| No. 3 | Mount Aloysius |
| No. 4 | La Roche |
| No. 5 | Franciscan |
| No. 6 | D'Youville |
| No. 7 | Pitt-Greensburg |
| No. 8 | Penn State Altoona |
| No. 9 | Pitt-Bradford |
| No. 10 | Hilbert |
After winning their seventh straight AMCC Championship last season, the Penn State Behrend women's soccer team is poised on capturing their eighth consecutive title in 2018 according to the AMCC preseason coaches' poll.
The Behrend Lions posted a 15-5-1 record last year and made their 10th appearance at the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament. Behrend returns 13 players from a year ago and added 13 new faces to this year's squad.
Mt. Aloysius was selected to finish second followed by Franciscan in third. The Mounties advanced to the AMCC semifinals last season, while the Barons battled the Behrend Lions in the conference championship game.
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
| No. 1 | Penn State Behrend |
| No. 2 | Mount Aloysius |
| No. 3 | Franciscan |
| No. 4 | D'Youville |
| No. 5 | La Roche |
| No. 6 | Pitt-Greensburg |
| No. 7 | Pitt-Bradford |
| No. 8 | Penn State Altoona |
| No. 9 | Hilbert |
| No. 10 | Medaille |