Somerset, N.J. - The Red Flash men's soccer program has been knocking on the door for its first conference title for the entire decade, appearing in five of the last seven NEC finals. 

According to the NEC Coaches' Poll released by the conference on Tuesday, Saint Francis should be in the thick of things again in 2017 as the group was selected second behind defending champion St. Francis Brooklyn. The Terriers defeated the Red Flash 1-0 in double overtime in last year's final. 

Saint Francis will be led by 2016 second team all-conference selection Troye Kiernan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) and senior goalkeeper Marcus Rojas (Fremont, Calif./Bellarmine College Preparatory), who owns a career 0.69 goals against average, the top mark in program history.

LIU Brooklyn and Bryant occupy the third and fourth spots in the poll. The top four teams in the eight-team league advance to the conference tournament in November.

Saint Francis opens its season at home vs. Duquesne on Friday, Aug. 25, at 1 p.m.