ORONO – There’s nowhere to go but up for the University of Maine men’s soccer team this season.

After all, when you’re picked to finish last in the America East coaches’ preseason poll, how can you underachieve?

That’s not how sixth-year head coach Travers Evans and his Black Bears see things.

“If we don’t make the playoffs [by finishing in the top six], it’ll be a disappointment,” said Evans.

“We’re going to use that [poll] as motivation,” said senior midfielder and co-captain Kevin Forgett, the team’s leading returning scorer with four goals and two assists a year ago.

“We’ve got a lot of talent. We have a lot of new guys coming in and they’re definitely going to make an impact,” said senior midfielder Cooper Friend of Ellsworth, a 2003 America East first team selection who was a medical redshirt a year ago with a high ankle sprain.

“Having Cooper back is very important,” said Forgett. “He holds down the midfield for us. He’s very strong on the ball. He knocks people off the ball.”

“He was missed tremendously last year. He’s a special player,” said Evans.

Senior center back and co-captain Ben Wilcox said the biggest area of improvement will be the team’s “overall depth, especially in the midfield and up front. There are a lot of players who can step in and do a lot of good things for us, create a lot of good scoring opportunities.”

Maine went 5-8-3 overall a year ago but missed the America East playoffs with a 2-5-2 mark. In 2003, the Bears made their first playoff appearance since 1994.

The Bears were held to one goal or less 10 times a year ago.

“We have a good mix of returning veterans and a very talented freshman class,” said Evans.

Falmouth sophomore Jimmy Velas, who had three goals and two assists last year and was chosen to the America East All-Rookie team, senior Gabriel Germano and Brunswick senior Kyle Vosmus are the returning veterans up front. They will be joined by newcomers Jimmy Hernandez, an All-American at Dean Junior College (Mass.), Dimitri Anastasiou, Englishman Tom Goldie, Kyle Pacheco, and Ellsworth’s Jensen Rich.

“They’re all quality players. We’re excited about that,” said Evans.

Friend and Forgett, a four-year starter, headline a strong midfield that also includes sophomore Dan Eggert, freshman Martin John and Hartford transfer Jameson Gonzalez.

Evans, whose team will play a 4-3-3 alignment, said he has both experience and depth in the back.

Wilcox and senior left back Adam Chenault are four-year starters and junior center back Jason Jacobe will be starting for his third season. Sophomore right back Kyle Nicholson appeared in all 16 games in 2004.

Albion freshman Marshall Holmes and redshirt freshman Ryan Kelley will supply depth in the back along with redshirt freshman Mark Pemberton and freshman Andrew Price.

In goal, the Bears return athletic 6-foot-5 Chad Mongeon, who had a 1.59 goals-against average last season and has started for 31/2 years.

Sophomore Giacomo Brunino, a UM-Machias transfer, and redshirt freshman Ben Piotrowski will back him up.

Maine, which went 1-0-1 and didn’t allow a goal in two exhibition games, opens against Providence College at 5 p.m. Friday in Kingston, R.I.