Syracuse soccer: Orange open 2016 ranked sixth in NSCAA poll

While Syracuse Orange football isn't sniffing the preseason polls (yet), Syracuse Orange football (soccer) finds itself ranked sixth to start the 2016 campaign.

SU men's soccer is coming off its best season in program history, capped by winning the ACC Tournament and then a thrilling run to the College Cup. The Orange are one of five ACC clubs in the top 10 of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. Clemson leads the way at no. 3, followed by Wake Forest in fifth, then Syracuse (sixth), North Carolina (eighth) and Notre Dame (ninth).

The Orange exhibition schedule begins against New Hampshire on Saturday, August 13 as part of Fan Fest. Two weeks later, on Friday, August 26, the regular season will begin vs. UMass.

SU brings back seven starters from last year's squad, and as you could probably guess from the ranking, will be a tough out once again. While the team loses its top two scorers from 2015 (Ben Polk and Julian Buescher), a strong group of returning players and a new crop of freshman have them eyeing an improvement on last year's 16-5-4 finish.

Now if only they'd make those kits available for sale...