CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – After a year in which Loyola Maryland qualified for the Patriot League Championship field of six for the first time since joining the League, the Greyhounds are predicted to win it all as they topped the 2017 men’s soccer preseason poll announced on Wednesday.
The Greyhounds totaled 152 points and received 10 first-place votes to claim the top spot in the preseason poll. The 2016 Patriot League Champion, Colgate, tallied five first-place votes and a total of 142 points to finish second. The remaining five first-place votes went to American, which edged out Boston University by one point. The Eagles totaled 116 points while the Terriers were right behind with 115. Army West Point rounded out the top five teams with 93 points and was followed by Bucknell (86), Lehigh (70), Navy (52), Lafayette (49), and Holy Cross (25).
A trio of sophomores garnered the preseason individual honors with 2016 Patriot League Rookie of the Year Brian Saramago, a Loyola forward named first team All-League last year, being tabbed as the 2017 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. His teammate Barry Sharifi, a second team All-League midfielder in 2016, was voted as the Preseason Midfielder of the Year, while Army West Point’s Zac McGraw, a 2016 first team All-League selection, was selected as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Five teams were represented by two student-athletes on the preseason All-League team, while Lafayette had one. Joining Saramagao, Sharifi, and McGraw on the team were Army sophomore forward Rex Epps (2016 third team All-League), Colgate junior defender Aram Ouligian (2016 third team All-League), Colgate senior midfielder Jared Stroud (2016 first team All-League), Lehigh junior forward Mark Forrest, Lehigh senior forward Doyle Tuvesson, Lafayette senior defender Christian Moyse (2016 second team All-League), Navy senior goalkeeper Mac Burke, and Navy senior midfielder Brock Dudley (2016 second team All-League).
Voting for both the preseason poll and All-Patriot League Team was conducted by the men’s soccer head coaches and sports information directors who were not permitted to vote for their own team or student-athletes.
Loyola Maryland (8-7-3, 6-1-2 Patriot League) qualified for the Patriot League Championship, as the No. 2 seed, for the first time since joining the League and after a season in which the Greyhounds went 2-13-2, 0-8-1 PL. They tied for eighth in the 2016 League preseason predictions, but with the help of their first-ever nationally ranked incoming recruiting class, consisting of Saramago (10G, 3A) and Sharifi (4G, 5A), the Greyhounds finished second in the standings. Loyola fell to eventual champion Colgate, 3-1, in the semifinals but will look to continue where it left off last year. With the loss of last year’s Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year, Matt Sanchez, due to graduation, the Greyhounds will look to one of the three keepers on the roster to step up and fill the void. Guided by the 2016 Coach of the Year, Steve Nichols, Loyola opens its 2017 campaign at La Salle on Friday.
Colgate (13-7-2, 5-3-1 PL) captured the 2016 Patriot League Championship crown at the No. 3 seed when keeper Ricky Brown made back-to-back stops during the penalty shootout, clinching the championship with a diving save. Due to graduation, the Raiders will miss the keeper along with Ethan Kutler -- a three-time first team All-League forward, Zach Tamen – the League’s 2016 Defensive Player of the Year, and Colin O’Neill – a 2016 second team All-League midfielder. However, the Raiders return first team All-League midfielder Jared Stroud (4G, 8A) and third team All-League defender Aram Ouligian (2G, 4A). Colgate opens its season on the road Friday against New Hampshire.
American (11-5-5, 7-1-1 PL) came up short in the Patriot League championship game, finishing as runner-up to Colgate after the penalty shootout. The Eagles have will have to adjust after losing its five 2016 All-League selections, including the 2016 Offensive Player of the Year and Midfielder of the Year, to graduation. They will look to seniors Joel Hart (4G, 1 A), Garrett Muzikowski (3G, 1 A), Vinny Barone (2G), and Danny Kaiser (2G, 4A) to lead them back to the championship game in hopes of claiming their first championship crown since 2004. American is the first team to open the 2017 season, hosting Georgetown on Friday at 5 p.m. The game will stream live on the Patriot League Network.
Boston University (8-6-3, 4-3-2 PL) earned the No. 4 seed in the Patriot League Championship and hosted a quarterfinal contest against Bucknell. However, the Terriers didn’t move on to the next round after the Bison earned a 4-1 advantage in the penalty shootout to advance. BU loses forward Felix De Bona and keeper Matt Gilbert to graduation but returns sophomore midfielder Jerry Orzo, who posted a team-high five assists last season, and forward Matt McDonnell (3G, 2 A) to help lead the team. Boston U. will hit the road on Friday for its season opener, playing Rhode Island.
Army West Point (9-8-2, 4-4-1 PL) appeared in the Patriot League Championship as the No. 6 seed and fell to eventual champion Colgate, 3-2, in the quarterfinals. While the Black Knights lose a pair of 2016 third team All-League defenders in Tanner Vosvick and Christian Clark, they return 2016 first team All-League defender Zac McGraw (1G, 4 A), third team All-League forward and last year’s leading goal scorer Rex Epps (11G), and third team All-League midfielder Marcos Arroyo (4A). Army welcomes San Diego State to West Point on Friday to open its season. The game will be streamed live on the Patriot League Network.
Bucknell (7-11-3, 4-4-1 PL) fell to top seeded American in the semifinals of the Patriot League Championship, after advancing out of the quarterfinals over Boston U. on a penalty shootout. Graduation took two key players in forward Sebastiaan Blickman – the League’s point leader last season and second team All-League selection – and first team All-League defender Zack Rockmore. The Bison are a young squad consisting of seven freshmen and eight sophomores but will look to a pair of sophomore midfield/forwards, Nick King (4G, 7A) and Patrick Mahoney (3G, 2A), to step up and help led the team back to the tournament. Bucknell plays St. Bonaventure at home on Friday to open the 2017 season. The game will stream live on the Patriot League Network.
Lehigh (7-10-1, 3-6-0 PL) will look to qualify for the Patriot League Championship after missing the tournament last season. The Mountain Hawks will look for offensive production from Mark Forrest (7G, 4A) and Doyle Tuvesson (3G, 4A) – their top two point scorers from last season – and will look to keepers Will Smith and Joe Bogan to defend the net. Lehigh is the final team to begin the 2017 season, hosting Rider on Friday at 8 p.m. The game will stream live on the Patriot League Network.
Navy (5-9-4, 1-6-2 PL) welcomes back nine of 11 starters from last season. The Midshipmen will look to seniors Aubrey Jones (1G, 1A), Daniel Zaremba (3G, 3A), Mac Burke (1.05 GAA), and team captain Brock Dudley (1G) to lead the team back to the Patriot League Championship, after a two-year hiatus from the tournament. Tim O’Donohue will begin his second year at the helm of the men’s soccer program, as Navy travels to Riverdale, N.Y. to open the season on Friday at Manhattan.
Lafayette (7-9-2, 3-5-1 PL) will begin the 2017 season in hopes of reaching the Patriot League Championship for the first time since 2008. The Leopards return their leading scorer from last season, forward Evan Vare (7G, 2A), and will have the likes of seniors Brad Seeber (1.16 GAA) and two-time second team All-League defender Christian Moyse to lead the team. Lafayette opens the season on Friday hosting Fairleigh Dickinson.
Holy Cross (5-10-3, 1-5-3 PL) will look for its first Patriot League Tournament appearance since 2008 and will for guidance from seniors Yuji Callahan (1G, 1A), a third team All-League midfielder, midfielder Justin Carfora (1A), and forward Arno Rupp (4G, 2A). The Crusaders open their season at Hartford on Friday.
All 10 of the Patriot League men’s soccer teams open the season on Friday, with five playing at home. Four of those games will stream live on the Patriot League Network. Patriot League play begins on Friday, Sept. 22 and continues through Nov. 4. The top six teams in the final regular-season standings will compete in the Patriot League Championship, which begins with the quarterfinal round on Tuesday, Nov. 7 and continues with the No. 1 seed hosting the semifinals (Nov. 10) and championship (Nov. 12).
Click here for the complete composite men’s soccer schedule.
Patriot League Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Loyola Maryland, 152 (10 first-place votes)
2. Colgate, 142 (5)
3. American, 116 points (5)
4. Boston University, 115
5. Army West Point, 93
6. Bucknell, 86
7. Lehigh, 70
8. Navy, 52
9. Lafayette, 49
10. Holy Cross, 25
Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Brian Saramago, Loyola Maryland (So., F)
Patriot League Preseason Midfielder of the Year: Barry Sharifi, Loyola Maryland (So., M)
Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Zac McGraw, Army West Point (So., D)
Men’s Soccer Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Rex Epps, Army West Point (So., F)
Mark Forrest, Lehigh (Jr., F)
Doyle Tuvesson, Lehigh (Sr., F)
Brian Saramago, Loyola Maryland (So., F)
Jared Stroud, Colgate (Sr., M)
Barry Sharifi, Loyola Maryland (So., M)
Brock Dudley, Navy (Sr., M)
Zac McGraw, Army West Point (So., D)
Aram Ouligian, Colgate (Jr., D)
Christian Moyse, Lafayette (Sr., D)
Mac Burke, Navy (Sr., GK)