Midwestern State is the top choice in the Lone Star Conference as the league’s annual men’s soccer preseason poll was released on Tuesday.

   The Mustangs received eight first-place votes on the 13 ballots cast by the league’s head coaches, sports information directors and various media representatives. MSU totaled 58 points to edge West Texas A&M.

   WTAMU collected the other five first-place nods and finished with 54 points, while newly added Incarnate Word was third with 41, Northeastern State fourth with 22 and Eastern New Mexico fifth with 20.

   MSU and WTAMU shared the LSC title last year with identical 4-2 conference marks to earn a spot in the postseason. The two teams met for the third time in the first round of the NCAA Regional, with the Buffs advancing to the second round with a 3-0 win over the Mustangs. WTAMU’s season ended in the regional final. 

   The schedule of games begins in late August. Each of the five LSC teams will play the other twice during the regular season, with those contests determining the conference champion. The LSC has set-up a scheduling alliance with the Heartland Conference for teams in both leagues to play each other once for an additional five games as well.