ST. LOUIS – Senior forward Wojciech Wojcik (Elmwood Park, Ill./Elmwood Park H.S.) is Bradley's lone representative on the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team and the Braves are fourth in the preseason poll of the league's seven head coaches released Monday morning.
Wojcik is Bradley's active career scoring leader with 24 points on eight goals and eight assists in his first three years with the Braves and he scored the game-winning goal in the 114th minute of Saturday's 4-2 exhibition victory at Kansas City. The 6-foot-3 forward is one of 18 returning lettermen for the Braves and one of three forwards listed on the 11-player preseason All-MVC squad.
Though Bradley finished fourth in the preseason vote, the coaches would appear to feel the race for the 2013 Valley title will be wide open. Five of the league's seven teams received at least one first-place vote, paced by Bradley and Evansville with two each. While SIU Edwardsville was deemed The Valley's preseason favorite with one first-place vote and 40 total points, Evansville and Drake tied for second with 36 points, followed by the Braves in fourth place with 35 points.
Missouri State garnered the seventh first-place vote, but the Bears were fifth with 21 points, followed by Central Arkansas (19) and league newcomer Loyola Chicago (9).
Bradley officially will open its 27th NCAA Division I soccer season this weekend by hosting Evansville, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in The Hotels at Grand Prairie Classic at Shea Stadium. The Braves will face New Hampshire at 7 p.m. in Friday's first round and it will be Back 2 School/Camper Renunion Night at Shea Stadium. After a day off from competition, the tournament will conclude Sunday and the Braves will take on Massachusetts at 12:30 p.m. in the weekend finale for Park District Soccer/Facebook Appreciation Day.
Single-game tickets for regular-season Bradley Soccer home games at Shea Stadium are $6 for adults, $3 for children 14 and under and free for Bradley University students, faculty and staff, as well as active members of the military and their immediate family.
Bradley Athletics Mission
Provide every student-athlete the opportunity for both a distinctive education and a championship experience
Accountability | Courage | Diligence | Integrity | Respect
