CHARLOTTE --- The Gardner-Webb men's soccer team has been tabbed seventh in the 2014 Big South Conference preseason poll by the league's head coaches, announced the Conference office. Gardner-Webb senior Denzel Clarke (Atlanta, Ga.) finished third in the voting for Preseason Attacking Player of the Year.

The Runnin' Bulldogs, under the direction of long-time head coach Tony Setzer, received 43 points in the coaches' poll. Gardner-Webb received one second-place vote, one fourth-place vote, one fifth-place vote, two seventh-place votes, four eighth-place votes, and one 10th-place vote.

Coach Setzer's squad was voted ahead of Longwood, UNC Asheville and Presbyterian College, who were voted eighth, ninth, and 10th, respectively.

Defending champion Coastal Carolina was chosen first in the preseason poll, while junior forward Ricky Garbanzo was named the Preseason Attacking Player of the Year and senior defender Shawn McLaws was voted the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Coastal received 96 points and seven first-place votes.

Winthrop and High Point tied for second with 82 points, as Winthrop received two first-place votes. Campbell earned 65 points and the remaining first-place vote to claim the fourth spot in the poll, while Liberty was fifth with 58 points. Radford was sixth with 48 points.

Gardner-Webb is seventh with 43 points, followed by Longwood in eighth with 35 points. UNC Asheville was ninth with 23 points, as Presbyterian rounds out the poll with 18 points.

The 2014 Big South men's soccer season kicks off on Friday, August 29 with eight of the league's 10 teams in action, while conference play opens on Tuesday, September 23. The 2014 Big South Men's Soccer Championship tournament is slated for November 11-16 with quarterfinals played at higher seeds, followed by the semifinals and finals at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C.

2014 Big South Conference Preseason Men's Soccer Coaches' Poll