MSOC: 2021 season preview; Defending champion T-Birds top coaches poll

VANCOUVER - Ahead of the opening weekend of the season, the Canada West released its preseason poll and team previews on Thursday with the conference coaches tapping the UBC Thunderbirds as the team to beat in 2021.

The three-time defending conference champion Thunderbirds collected 143 total points, including 11 first-place selections, in the annual preseason coaches poll. UBC has been a dominant force in the Canada West, reaching the conference final every season since 2015.

The Mount Royal Cougars picked up 124 points to take second spot in the poll. The Cougars finished the 2019 season with the best record of all Central Division teams, at 9-4-1.

One of the top challengers in the West Division are the Trinity Western Spartans, who finished third in the poll with 115 points and a first-place vote.

Right behind the Spartans with 114 points and a first-place vote were the Alberta Golden Bears. Alberta is the last team other than UBC to win a Canada West title when they captured both the conference and national banners in 2016.

The Canada West season opens up on Friday, September 10 with a trio of West Division matchups. UBC visits the Thompson Rivers WolfPack, the Victoria Vikes host the UNBC Timberwolves, and Trinity Western welcomes in the UBC Okanagan Heat. All six teams will face each other again on Saturday.

Most of the Central Division will wait until September 24-25 to get the 2021 campaign underway. Mount Royal and the Lethbridge Pronghorns will kick off the Central Division action a week early with a single match on Saturday, September 18.

COMPLETE 2021 CW MEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE

Teams will play the 2021 CW regular season exclusively within their own divisions (West & Central) after alternate playing formats were announced by the conference on May 5.

To get you set for the 2021 season, a complete team-by-team preview can be found here.

MEN'S SOCCER ON CANADA WEST TV PRESENTED BY CO-OP

Every men's soccer game will be available live and on demand this season on Canada West TV Presented by Co-op – the official streaming home of the conference. To purchase your pass, click here.

2021 CW MSOC PRESEASON COACHES POLL

Team - Points (First-place votes)

NOTE: Coaches ranked all opponents 1-12. First-place votes worth 12 points, second-place worth 11 points etc.