AUGUSTA, Ga. | Young Harris College has been selected as the Peach Belt Conference men's soccer preseason favorite in a poll of the league's head coaches. 

In addition, Ali Koller and Sondre Olsen were named to the preseason All-PBC team.

The Mountain Lions received six first-place votes for 49 total points, five ahead of second-place Francis Marion University.  Lander University (39) was third in the voting with Clayton State University (29) fourth and Flagler College (24) fifth.  University of North Georgia (20), University of South Carolina-Aiken (12) and Georgia Southwestern State University (11) rounded out the voting.

This is the sixth time that Young Harris has been either first or tied for first in the coaches preseason poll. YHC, which has won five league titles, won the 2019 PBC regular-season title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as the Mountain Lions went 12-5-0.  

Koller, a freshman from Wurtzburg, Germany, was named the league's Defender of the Week once in 2019. He was named All-PBC first-team and to the all-region second team by the D2CCA in 2019. Koller scored four times in 12 games this season with one assist for nine points.

Olsen, a junior from Tromso, Norway, led the Mountain Lions in goals (12) and points (26). Olsen, who was named the the PBC Player of the Week once last year, finished second in the league in goals and third in points. The All-Peach Belt first-team performer had three match-winning goals for YHC in 2019, including the one that clinched the Mountain Lions' fifth league title in a 1-0 win at Francis Marion University. Olsen, who was named to the all-region first team by the D2CCA and all-region second team by the United Soccer Coaches, was ranked 28th nationally in goals per game (0.71), also ranked 40th nationally in points per game (1.53) and 34th in total goals.

Teams will take the field for the first time since November of 2019 to start the delayed 2020 season  Feb. 1.  Teams will play a full conference schedule this spring with 10 conference matches, culminating in the PBC Tournament April 7 (semifinals) and April 11 (finals).  There is no NCAA postseason tournament this year.

The Mountain Lions open up their schedule Feb. 1 when they host Georgia Southwestern State in a 3:30 p.m. PBC match at the YHC Soccer and Lacrosse Field.

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