AKRON, Ohio – Following one of the best campaigns in program history, the University of Akron men's soccer team was ranked sixth in the nation, according to a preseason poll released by College Soccer News Thursday.

The Zips, who were ranked No. 9 in the final CSN and NSCAA/adidas polls a year ago, will return seven of 11 starters and nine letterwinners overall this fall – including All-American Anthony Ampaipitakwong and freshman All-Americans Kofi Sarkodie and Darlington Nagbe – from a team that recorded the second-highest win total in school history in 2008.

Moreover, UA set a new standard for defensive efficiency, holding its opposition to a goals-against-average of 0.45 – the top mark in the country – despite playing one of the most difficult schedules in Division I with an NCAA RPI of 7. Akron was also ranked fifth in the nation for win percentage (.826) and shutout percentage (0.61), 11th in scoring offense (2.04 goals/game) and 12th in save percentage (.849).

Highlights from the record-setting season included the program's 11 Mid-American Conference regular-season championship, its sixth MAC Tournament title and the school's fourth all-time trip to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. Furthermore, Akron secured the highest NCAA Tournament seed in program history with a No. 5 designation and spent nine of 13 weeks ranked in the top five of the NSCAA/adidas national poll.

Joining UA's core of returning veterans this fall, will be a host of heralded newcomers. This group, which features seven All-Americans and six players with national team experience, was named the No. 1 recruiting class in the country by ESPN Rise.com last February.

Also making the preseason poll were six schools on UA's 2009 schedule, including three home opponents. No. 7 Indiana (Sept. 18), No. 24 St. Louis (Sept. 20) and No. 25 Michigan State (Nov. 4) will all make the trip to Lee Jackson Field this fall while the Zips will be on the road to face No. 27 SMU (Sept. 4), No. 12 Tulsa (Sept. 6) and No. 11 UIC (Oct. 7).

The Zips will open the fall season with a pair of exhibition games in late August before officially kicking off the 2009 campaign at the Tulsa Tournament against SMU and Tulsa in early September.

2009 College Soccer News Preseason Top 30 Rankings
1. St. John's
2. Creighton
3. Wake Forest
4. North Carolina
5. Maryland
6. Akron
7. Indiana*
8. California
9. Northwestern
10. Dartmouth
11. UIC*
12. Tulsa*
13. South Florida
14. UC Irvine
15. Loyola (Md.)
16. Notre Dame
17. UCLA
18. Dayton
19. UC Santa Barbara
20. Connecticut
21. Drake
22. Virginia
23. Boston Univ.
24. Saint Louis*
25. Michigan State*
26. Cal Poly
27. SMU*
28. Louisville
29. George Mason
30. San Francisco
* 2009 UA Opponent