ST. LOUIS - The Missouri State men's soccer team has been picked as the favorite to win the Missouri Valley Conference in the 2024 MVC Preseason Poll conducted by the league's nine head coaches released Monday afternoon.

The Bears lead the preseason poll for the fifth consecutive year after winning four of the last five MVC regular season championships and three of the last four MVC Tournaments.

"The MVC is going to be a strong league this year," head coach Michael Seabolt said. "The first step is to go out and get some results in the non-conference. I feel this league can and should have multiple teams qualifying for the NCAA again. 3 teams should be the standard and 4 is a goal. This league will be tough and I think how close the pre-season voting is reflects that."

Missouri State narrowly took the top spot on the poll, receiving 74 points with three first-place votes. Western Michigan, last year's MVC regular season and tournament champions, was picked second in the poll for the second straight season with 72 points but earned four first-place votes following its 17-win season in 2023.

UIC took the remaining two first-place votes and was picked to finish third in the poll with 69 points. Bowling Green (51 points), Belmont (41 points), Northern Illinois (31 points), Evansville (30 points), Drake (19 points) and Bradley (18 points) round out the poll.

Missouri State's status as preseason conference favorites comes after the Bears received five votes in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 National Preseason Poll on August 6. Mo State has received votes in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll in back-to-back seasons.

Three Bears were named to the 2024 Preseason All-MVC Team, tying UIC for the most representatives from one school to receive the recognition.

Senior goalkeeper Harry Townsend (Cornwall, England) earned a spot on the team following yet another successful season at net. The United Soccer Coaches All-West Region first-team goalkeeper made the All-MVC second team last season following his nine clean sheets. He is a four-time MVC Defensive Player of the Week. His 21 shutouts since 2022 are tied for the most in the nation by a goalkeeper in that span.

Senior defender Michael Peck (Cornwall, England) received a preseason nod for the first time to join his Cornwall countryman in Townsend. Peck was named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Defenders to Watch list earlier in the month following a solid 2023 season where he led the Bears with 1,671 minutes played. He made the All-MVC and United Soccer Coaches All-West Region second team.

Senior forward Jesus Barea (Cádiz, Spain) made the Preseason All-MVC Team for the third consecutive year. The 2022 MVC Player of the Year is coming off a career year in 2023, earning career-highs in goal (6), points (16), shots on goal (29), game-winning goals (3) and minutes played (1,454). Barea scored the opening goal in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against Stanford last season. Like Townsend and Peck, Barea was an All-West Region player in 2023. He was also a first-team All-Conference player and scholar-athlete in the MVC.

The Bears will open the 2024 season on the road on Thursday, Aug. 22 against UC Santa Barbara at 9:00 p.m. CT. Missouri State's home opener will be on Monday, Aug. 26 against Pacific at Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium.

MVC Preseason Poll

1.    Missouri State - 74 points (3 first-place votes)
2.    Western Michigan - 72 points (4 first-place votes)
3.    UIC - 69 points (2 first-place votes)
4.    Bowling Green - 51 points
5.    Belmont - 41 points
6.    Northern Illinois - 31 points
7.    Evansville - 30 points
8.    Drake - 19 points
9.    Bradley - 18 points

Preseason All-MVC

Harry Townsend, Missouri State, Goalkeeper, Senior (Cornwall, England)
Jesus De Vicente, UIC, Defender, Redshirt Senior (Casas Bajas, Spain)
Michael Peck, Missouri State, Defender, Senior (Cornwall, England)
Dylan Steeley, Belmont, Defender, Junior (Hoover, Alabama)
Alberto Anaya, Bowling Green, Midfielder, Senior (Queretaro, Mexico)
Carson Hodgson, Western Michigan, Midfielder, Junior (Macomb, Michigan)
Jesus Barea, Missouri State, Forward, Senior (Cádiz, Spain)
Bart Muns, UIC, Forward, Redshirt Senior (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Kai Phillips, Evansville, Forward, Senior (Diego Martin, Trinidad & Tobago)
Trace Terry, Bowling Green, Forward, Junior (Bellbrook, Ohio)
Joshua Torres, UIC, Forward, Senior (Chicago, Illinois)