UCLA Ranked Preseason No. 1 by Soccer America

The UCLA men's soccer team will begin the 2014 season this weekend ranked No. 1 in Soccer America's preseason poll. The Bruins, who went 12-3-5 last season and earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, return All-Americans Leo Stolz and Earl Edwards Jr. while bringing in the nation's No. 1 recruiting class.

The Bruins have been ranked in the Top 4 in each of the other major polls, checking in at No. 2 on Top Drawer Soccer's preseason poll and No. 4 in the NSCAA rankings.

UCLA will face eight teams ranked in Soccer America's Top 25, including No. 16 Wake Forest on the road to open the season on Friday. UCLA also plays at No. 10 North Carolina on Sunday. Also on the schedule are matches against No. 4 Washington, No. 8 New Mexico, No. 13 Stanford, No. 14 California, No. 18 UC Santa Barbara and No. 25 CSUN.

In two exhibition games last week, the Bruins outscored their opponents, 15-2, defeating Nebraska Omaha, 5-2, and the Los Angeles All-Stars, 10-0. Stolz led the team in scoring in the two games with a total of eight points (2g, 4a). Kevin De La Torre had a hat trick in the Los Angeles All-Stars game, and Jordan Vale totaled two goals and one assist over the two games.

With the No. 1 ranking, the UCLA men join the UCLA women as Soccer America's top-ranked team.