.png&type=webp)
Bowling Green State University Athletics
Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics
Falcons Picked to Finish Third in MAC
August 25, 2021 | Men's Soccer
Conference office releases preseason coaches poll
The Bowling Green State University men's soccer team has been picked to finish third in the Mid-American Conference race in the 2021 season. The preseason poll, the result of voting by the conference's six head coaches, was released by the league office on Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 25).
West Virginia was picked to capture the regular-season and tournament titles in the fall of 2021. The Mountaineers received three of the seven first-place votes and 40 total points.
The voting could not have been much closer, as Akron was picked to finish second with 39 points, while the Falcons received 38 points. BGSU was the choice of two coaches to win the regular-season crown, while UA and Western Michigan received one vote each.
WMU (30 points), Northern Illinois (22), Georgia State (17) and Georgia Southern (10) round out the poll. The latter two schools join the MAC as affiliate members for men's soccer in the fall of 2021.
BGSU was also picked to finish third in the spring, but went on to win the MAC regular-season title and advance to the NCAA Championships.
WVU received three votes to win the 2021 MAC Tournament, while BGSU earned two and UA and WMU one apiece. The MAC Men's Soccer Tournament was not held in the 2020-21 academic year.
West Virginia was picked to capture the regular-season and tournament titles in the fall of 2021. The Mountaineers received three of the seven first-place votes and 40 total points.
The voting could not have been much closer, as Akron was picked to finish second with 39 points, while the Falcons received 38 points. BGSU was the choice of two coaches to win the regular-season crown, while UA and Western Michigan received one vote each.
WMU (30 points), Northern Illinois (22), Georgia State (17) and Georgia Southern (10) round out the poll. The latter two schools join the MAC as affiliate members for men's soccer in the fall of 2021.
BGSU was also picked to finish third in the spring, but went on to win the MAC regular-season title and advance to the NCAA Championships.
WVU received three votes to win the 2021 MAC Tournament, while BGSU earned two and UA and WMU one apiece. The MAC Men's Soccer Tournament was not held in the 2020-21 academic year.
---
The Falcons begin the 2021 regular season on Thursday (Aug. 26) evening, facing IUPUI at Cochrane Stadium in a 7:00 p.m. start. BGSU received four votes in the United Soccer Coaches national preseason poll.
BG, as mentioned, won the MAC regular-season title and advanced to the NCAA Championships in the spring of 2021. BGSU ended the season ranked No. 30 in the final College Soccer News poll, and the Falcons also were 30th (the fifth team among 'also receiving votes') in the United Soccer Coaches rankings.
BGSU wound up third in the final United Soccer Coaches North Region poll, and coach Eric Nichols and his staff were named the North Region Staff of the Year.
The Falcons captured MAC's regular-season championship outright for the first time since 1996 and just the second time since the MAC began sponsoring the sport in '93. The Falcons advanced to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 1997.
BGSU went 5-2-1 in conference play, including a 3-0-1 mark at Cochrane Stadium, in the spring. BG has an overall record of 25-14-4 in the last 43 matches, dating to late in the 2018 season.
For more information on the men's soccer program, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGAthletics and @BGSUmenssoccer), Instagram (bgsumenssoccer) and Facebook (BGMensSoccer) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.
Â
MAC Men's Soccer -- 2021 Preseason Coaches' Poll
Team (FPV)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Pts.
1. West Virginia (3) ...... 40
2. Akron (1) .............. 39
3. Bowling Green (2) ...... 38
4. Western Michigan (1).... 30
5. Northern Illinois ...... 22
6. Georgia State .......... 17
7. Georgia Southern ....... 10
(FPV) - first-place votes received
Votes to win MAC Tournament
West Virginia .............. 3
Bowling Green .............. 2
Akron ...................... 1
Western Michigan ........... 1
Â
Off The Pitch: Gonzalo Carranza (Oct. 30, 2025)
Thursday, October 30
Off The Pitch: Jack Bennett (Oct. 22, 2025)
Thursday, October 23
Off The Pitch: Ryko Bodurov (Oct. 16, 2025)
Friday, October 17
Eric Nichols Post-Match Interview (Oct. 10, 2025)
Saturday, October 11