Two-time defending champion Christopher Newport was selected as the unanimous favorite to once again win the conference title in the 2016 CAC Men's Golf Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Captains totaled six first-place votes and 36 points to sit atop the poll.

York (29 points; 1 first-place vote) edged Penn State Harrisburg (28 points) by just one point for second place in the preseason rankings. The Lions have finished in second place at the CAC Championship each of the last two years, just ahead of the Spartans. 

Marymount claimed fourth place in the poll with 19 points, followed closely by Wesley in fifth with 17 points. Associate members William Paterson (10 points) and New Jersey City (8 points) rounded out the poll in sixth and seventh, respectively. 

The 2016 Championship marks the first season that the CAC champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The CAC Championship is set for April 15-17 at Bay Creek Resort in Cape Charles, Va. 

The complete poll and season preview paragraphs for all seven CAC teams are below.  

2016 CAC Men's Golf Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Christopher Newport - 36 points (6 first-place votes)
2. York - 29 points (1 first-place vote)
3. Penn State Harrisburg - 28 points
4. Marymount - 19 points
5. Wesley - 17 points
6. William Paterson- 10 points
7. New Jersey City - 8 points

CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT will look to make it three straight conference championships in 2016 after welcoming back nearly the entire title-winning lineup from last season. Leading the way is All-Region performer and senior Matt DiSalvo, who won the individual medalist honors last season and shattered the CAC record book with an impressive performance. Also returning to the fold are first team All-Conference golfers Harry Nodwell and Charlie Peavley, along with second team All-CAC selection Sam Robinson. Two-time CAC Coach of the Year Jamie Coleman leads the team in his eighth season, guiding a Captains team that has been receiving votes in the national rankings all season long.

MARYMOUNT's roster has grown immensely for the 2016 season, adding five new faces including three transfers. Junior Keegan Boone enters his first season with the Saints after transferring in from Division I Loyola (Md.), while junior Cody Jameson comes in from the College of Southern Maryland. Coming in during the fall slate was sophomore Erik Timlin, joining the squad as a Visby, Sweden native. A team that has no seniors will look to a group of seven experienced juniors to lead the Saints through a hopeful run to the program's first CAC Championship.

NEW JERSEY CITY will play seven rounds during the spring portion of its 2015-16 schedule after a 10-round rendition this fall. Freshman Alexander Sill, a two-time CAC Honor Roll recipient in the Fall, returns after he finished first among NJCU golfers seven times in eight events and nine times in 10 total rounds this fall. He twice shot an 80 and twice broke the school record for low 36-hole score. Freshman Bobby Williams, a one-time CAC Honor Roll pick looks to improve on a promising fall. Freshman James Schmucke plays his first spring season while senior Jeremiah Williams will play his final rounds. Making his debut on a very young Gothic Knight roster will be promising freshman mid-year addition Bradley Robinson,who spent the fall working at the exclusive Liberty National Golf Course in Jersey City. Second-year head coach Brian Ferrante has added a new assistant coach in Frank Barrone. 

PENN STATE HARRISBURG welcomes back senior Tyler Massar, who led the Lions in the fall. Sophomore Keith Miller, the 2015 CAC Rookie of the Year, and junior Tyler Shank, a two-time first-team All-CAC honoree, also return as key pieces for the Lions. In the fall, the Lions set new school records of one-day team scoring (296) and two-day team scoring (600) at the Tom Kinder Memorial Tournament. Penn State Harrisburg will be led by new head coach Malcom Jackson this spring, who brings five years of prior collegiate coaching experience. Coach Jackson and the Lions begin their spring campaign March 19th when they travel to Ursinus College for the Revolutionary Classic.

WESLEY will look to build off a six-tournament fall season that included several solid finishes against some difficult competition. Senior Dylan Chessher led the way for the Wolverines with a scoring average of 79.4 strokes per round through nine rounds. Sophomore Tyler Spielberger also had a strong fall with a scoring average of 82.1. The Wolverines begin their spring campaign on Saturday, March 26 at the McDaniel Spring Invitational.

WILLIAM PATERSON returns five letterwinners, including four players who competed at last year’s CAC Championships. Senior James Nuzzo shot 78-80 (158, +18) to tie for 13th place overall last spring, and led WP with a 79.0 average last season, while junior Christian Foti carded a 79-89 (168, +28, 22nd) on his way to an 83.0 season average. The Pioneers competed in four matches during the fall season, including a tied-for-second-place team finish at the Rutgers-Camden Fall Invitational. Several Pioneers posted strong scoring averages in the fall, led by freshman Troy Hartung at 80.3 per round and Nuzzo at 80.5. William Paterson begins its spring season on Monday, March 28 at the Lebanon Valley Spring Invitational at Lebanon Country Club.

YORK will look to climb in the CAC standings this spring after consecutive third-place finishes at the conference championship. The Spartans competed six times in the fall season, capturing a team title at the Alvernia Fall Invitational and taking second place at the Penn State Harrisburg Invitational and Bay Creek Invitational. Freshman Tyler Newton (76.11) holds a slight edge of senior Ryan Wolbach (76.78) for the team lead in scoring average, while senior Tyler Keim (78.13) and sophomore Brandon Hur (78.33) also boast sub-80 averages entering the spring. The Spartans open their spring on Monday, March 21 at the Lynchburg Invitational at Poplar Grove Golf Club in Amherst, Va.