KINGSTON, R.I. – Rhode Island has been picked to finish ninth in the 2024 Atlantic 10 Men's Soccer Preseason Poll, which was released Wednesday by the Atlantic 10.

In voting among the league's coaches, VCU edged Saint Louis as the favorite to win the league title. However, the top four teams in the poll all received multiple first-place votes and were closely bunched in the final results. VCU topped the field with 183 points and five first-place votes, followed by Saint Louis with 178 points and four first-place votes. Dayton (167 points, three first-place votes) and Loyola Chicago (157 points, two first-place votes) also rank among the favorites.

Fordham (124), Massachusetts (115), Davidson (114) and Duquesne (114) took spots 5-8 in the poll. Rhode Island earned 87 points in the voting and finished ahead of George Mason (78) to round out the top 10.

URI has finished ninth in back-to-back seasons. Rhody enters 2024 looking to make the Atlantic 10 Championship for the first time since 2021. From 2014-2021, the Rams were 12-5 in the Atlantic 10 Championship with two titles (2018, 2019).

Over that eight-year span, URI won at least one postseason match every year the playoffs were held. The Rams open the 2024 season Thursday night at home against St. John's. The match begins at 7:05 p.m. at the URI Soccer Complex.

2024 Atlantic 10 Men's Soccer Poll
1. VCU – 183 (5)
2. Saint Louis – 178 (4)
3. Dayton – 167 (3)
4. Loyola Chicago – 157 (2)
5. Fordham – 124
6. Massachusetts - 115
7. Davidson - 114
8. Duquesne - 107
9. Rhode Island - 87
10. George Mason - 78
11. Saint Joseph's - 56
12. George Washington - 38
13. La Salle - 36
14. St. Bonaventure – 30