Park Ridge, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference today announced its 2013 men’s soccer preseason coaches’ poll and players to watch list, with defending national champion Indiana earning top honors among the seven conference teams. The Hoosiers, who are ranked No. 1 in the NCAA preseason top 25 poll, became the first-ever No. 16 seed to win the national title last season.

Reigning Big Ten Tournament Champion Michigan State checked in at No. 2 in the preseason poll, followed by No. 3 Northwestern, No. 4 Michigan and No. 5 Penn State. The Wildcats and Nittany Lions shared the Big Ten title in 2012.

Ten players that earned postseason awards or were named All-Big Ten in 2012 were members of the 2013 players to watch list. Indiana’s A.J. Corrado, Michigan’s Tyler Arnone, Michigan State’s Adam Montague, Northwestern’s Chris Ritter and Wisconsin’s AJ Cochran were each named first-team All-Big Ten last season. Second-team returnees include Indiana’s Nikita Kotlov, Michigan’s Adam Grinwis, Michigan State’s Kevin Cope and Owen Griffith and Penn State’s Andrew Wolverton. Ritter was also tabbed the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2012.

The complete preseason coaches’ poll and the players to watch list can be found below. The 2013 season officially kicks off onFriday, Aug. 30, with five Big Ten teams hosting non-conference opponents.

BIG TEN MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL

1. Indiana

2. Michigan State

3. Northwestern

4. Michigan

5. Penn State

6. Wisconsin

7. Ohio State

BIG TEN MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH

A.J. Corrado, Indiana, Sr., Midfielder

Nikita Kotlov, Indiana, Sr., Midfielder

Dylan Mares, Indiana, Jr., Midfielder

Tyler Arnone, Michigan, Jr., Midfielder

Adam Grinwis, Michigan, Jr., Goalkeeper

Fabio Villas Boas Pereira, Michigan, Sr., Midfielder

Fatai Alashe, Michigan State, Jr., Midfielder

Kevin Cope, Michigan State, Sr., Defender

Adam Montague, Michigan State, Jr., Forward

Layth Masri, Northwestern, Sr., Midfielder/Defender

Chris Ritter, Northwestern, Sr., Midfielder

Lepe Seetane, Northwestern, Sr., Midfielder

Sage Gardner, Ohio State, Sr., Defender

Ben Killian, Ohio State, Sr., Defender

Alec Lowell, Ohio State, Jr., Midfielder

Owen Griffith, Penn State, Jr., Midfielder

Mikey Minutillo, Penn State, Sr., Forward

Andrew Wolverton, Penn State, Jr., Goalkeeper

AJ Cochran, Wisconsin, Jr., Defender

Chris Prince, Wisconsin, Sr., Forward

Tomislav Zadro, Wisconsin, Sr., Midfielder