NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana was picked to finish second in the Red River Athletic Conference 2024 men's soccer preseason poll of the league's head coaches.
        The RRAC announced the poll Friday. Four points separated the top three teams.
        XULA received 3-of-13 first-place votes and 166 points. LSU-Shreveport is first with four first-place votes and 167 points. Third-place Louisiana Christian received the most first-place votes, five, and collected 163 points.
        LSUS won the RRAC regular-season championship in 2023, and Louisiana Christian defeated the Pilots 1-0 in the RRAC Tournament final. Both LSUS and Louisiana Christian reached the second round of NAIA nationals.
        Houston-Victoria received the other first-place vote and tied with LSU-Alexandria for fourth place.
        In XULA's first season a year ago, the Gold Rush were picked 12th out of 14 teams but finished third in the RRAC regular season. The Gold Rush were 10-4-2 overall, 9-2-2 in conference and reached the semifinals of the RRAC Tournament. The Gold Rush earned votes in two of the final three NAIA coaches polls.
        XULA will open the regular season at 7 p.m. Sunday against NAIA No. 20 William Carey in Hattiesburg, Miss. It'll be a doubleheader; the women of XULA and second-ranked Carey will play at 5 p.m.

RRAC men's soccer 2024 coaches poll
1. LSU-Shreveport . . . 167 points, four first-place votes
2. XULA . . . 166 points, three first-place votes
3. Louisiana Christian . . . 163 points, five first-place votes
4. (tie) Houston-Victoria . . . 129 points, one first-place vote
4. (tie) LSU-Alexandria . . . 129 points
6. Jarvis Christian . . . 114 points
7. Texas A&M-San Antonio . . . 110 points
8. Texas A&M-Texarkana . . . 92 points
9. Our Lady of the Lake . . . 86 points
10. North American . . . 60 points
11. Southwest (N.M.) . . . 48 points
12. Huston-Tillotson . . . 47 points
13. Paul Quinn . . . 32 points
14. Texas College . . . 22 points