PEORIA, Ill. -- Riding the wave of momentum created by its undefeated start to the season, the Bradley Soccer team now appears in the national rankings across the board by the various national college soccer outlets.
After appearing only in the TopDrawerSoccer.com Tournament 48 National Rankings at #37 in the preseason, it took the Braves just three weeks to crack five other national polls released Monday and Tuesday:
National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Rankings: 18
TopDrawerSoccer.com Tournament 48 National Rankings: 18
Goal.com Top 25: 21
Soccer America Men's Top 25: 21
SoccerTimes.com College Coaches Poll: 24
CollegeSoccerNews.com Top 30 National Poll: 27
Bradley is unbeaten through six games for the first time since the 2002 Braves went 11-0-4 through their first 15 games, and the current squad has made a statement during its start. Five of Bradley's first six opponents this season were unbeaten at the time of their game versus the Braves. Bradley's season-opening, 4-1 win at Butler remains the Bulldogs' only loss in their last 24 regular-season games (20-1-3) dating back to Oct. 31, 2009. Similarly, prior to Friday's 2-1 win against USF, the Bulls were 21-1-4 in their last 26 regular-season games against non-Big East Conference schools dating back to a 1-0 loss at Duke Sept. 3, 2006.
Bradley will be put to the test again Friday night when the Braves face their sixth unbeaten opponent of the season, Memphis (4-0-1), during the opening day of the Hotels at Grand Prairie Classic in a 7 p.m. scheduled kickoff at Shea Stadium. The Tigers begin the week ranked No. 8 in the NSCAA Midwest Region poll and are among the "others receiving votes" in the SoccerTimes.com Top 25 Coaches Poll.
The Braves also will host Loyola-Chicago at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the tournament's finale. Single-game tickets for Bradley Soccer regular-season games at Shea Stadium are $6 for adults, $3 for youth (K-12) and free for Bradley University students, faculty and staff, as well as active members of the military and their immediate families, all with valid identification.
