The Elon University men's soccer team hopes to achieve something this season that has never been done in program history, senior defender Austen King said.

The goal: to win the Southern Conference tournament and earn a berth into the NCAA tournament.

Elon was the regular season champion in 2008, when this year's seniors were just freshmen, yet the tournament title has eluded the Phoenix over the years.

But the expectation this year is to win both and gain an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, King said.

"Realistically, we have a team that can do that, judging from how guys are playing this summer and the guys we have coming back," he said.

The Phoenix returns nine of 11 starters, including 2010 SoCon Player of the Year junior forward Chris Thomas. The players are looking to improve from last year's campaign. The team finished with an 8-6-5 record and saw its season end with a loss to Appalachian State University in the first round of the SoCon tournament.

Elon will face another challenging schedule in 2011, playing five matches against opponents who reached the 2010 NCAA tournament.

"The schedule will be extremely tough," head coach Darren Powell said. "We play some of the top teams in the country, and all the conference games have a little extra edge."

Some non-conference games include playing Old Dominion University, which made the 2010 NCAA tournament, at home Sept. 17, as well as three matchups against ACC teams. The Phoenix will host Clemson University Oct. 11 and travel to Wake Forest University and Duke University Oct. 18 and Nov. 1, respectively.

The team begins its seven-game SoCon schedule Oct. 1, hosting Appalachian State. Elon will also play defending SoCon tournament champion UNC Greensboro at home Oct. 29.

The players are looking forward to the ACC games and a grudge match with Appalachian State, but that does not take away from the importance of each and every game, King said.

"The reality of the matter is all these teams are good and you can't take days off or you'll get beat," he said.

Before official practice began in mid-August, the majority of the players showed up for captains' practices on campus that were organized and led by the players. The practices gave the team a chance to train together after a summer of individual workouts and allowed players to get an early start working on a few things to carry into the season.

"Our fitness is something we'll concentrate on and to make sure everyone is healthy and having a good relationship on the field and off the field," junior midfielder Gabe Latigue said.

And if everything goes according to plan, the team will be holding a tournament trophy in November.

"If we get our chemistry down and everyone is working hard, then we have great potential," Latigue said. "We can come out on top"