WATCH: 2016 CAC Men's Soccer Preseason Webcast
YORK, Pa. - - After capturing its eighth CAC championship and first since 2008 last fall, Salisbury has been selected as the favorite to repeat in the 2016 CAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Sea Gulls tallied 75 points and five first-place votes to land atop the preseason rankings.
A quartet of teams received first-place votes in the poll. Christopher Newport, the 2014 CAC champions, received three first-place votes and totaled 69 points to place second in the poll, while York (third place, 64 points) and Frostburg State (fifth place, 51 points) also received one first-place ranking among the CAC coaches. Mary Washington ranked fifth in the poll with 57 points.
St. Mary's (45 points), which became the first-ever No. 6 seed to reach the men's soccer title game last fall, was selected sixth. Wesley (38 points), Marymount (21 points), Penn State Harrisburg (20 points), and Southern Virginia (9 points) rounded out the poll.
If the preseason poll is any indication, 2016 is shaping up to be yet another highly-competitive CAC campaign from top to bottom. Below is a brief preview of each team heading into the season, which begins for five of the 10 CAC squads on Thursday, Sept. 1. The first set of CAC contests are slated for Saturday, Sept. 24.
Coming off one of the top defensive seasons in program history, CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT expects to be strong in the back again in 2016. Led by the dean of CNU head coaches, Steve Shaw, in his 21st season, the Captains boasted a 0.68 goals against average last year, ranked second lowest in program history. CNU will feature two-time All-Region selection Harry Nodwell and will be powered offensively again by fellow senior Patrick Burns, a two-time first-team All-CAC pick. The Captains return eight of 11 starters from last year's team, and also anticipate the return of 2014 All-Conference midfielder Jimmy Grace, following an injury that saw him sit out all of 2015.
Defense has been the focal point of the FROSTBURG STATE team for the last few years and 15th-year head coach Keith Byrnes doesn't expect much to change in 2016. Two-time first-team All-CAC keeper Hassan Mostafa returns for his senior season and will once again spearhead one of the nation's top defensive units. Adding depth and talent to the backline will be seniors Erik Casterline and Chris Herbert who both started 18 games on defense during their junior seasons and helped the Bobcats to a 0.64 goals against average. At the other end of the field, senior Jonathan Lippitt and sophomoreHunter Jarmon will lead the charge on offense.
MARY WASHINGTON enters the 2016 season with a wealth of experience returning and high hopes. The Eagles, who lost just two players to graduation, will look to veterans Jacob Burke and Riley Fisher, who were among those tied for the team scoring lead a year ago. Defensively, UMW welcomes back all-state goalie Matt Spencer, who broke the season shutout record at the school last season, as well as defenders Christian Trout and Colin Travis.
With a young squad that made huge strides in the program last season, MARYMOUNT returns much of the starting lineup and adds plenty of depth as it contends for a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2012. Returning first-team All-CAC defender Rodney Ngoh and a handful of seniors, the leadership and experience guides the 16 newcomers of freshman and transfers. Head coach Keith Moser, the longest tenured coach in the league, returns for his 27th season at the helm of the program in search of the program's first CAC title.
After a disappointing 2015 season, PENN STATE HARRISBURG will look to improve under new head coach Daniel Krzyzanowicz. Krzyzanowicz will rely on returning goalkeeper Brandon Hoover, forward Aaron Kline, and defender Colby Brown. Penn State Harrisburg has many new faces on the team and will look to their younger players to match the intensity of the upperclassmen.
ST. MARY'S is looking to get back to the CAC championship game after making a Cinderella run in last year's playoffs as the sixth seed. The Seahawks will start off the 2016 campaign strong as sixth-year head coach Alun Oliver returns 10 starters from their 2015 nine-win squad. The reigning CAC Player of the Year, Nick Tait, and All-CAC selection, Juwan Kearson, are back to lead St. Mary's in scoring and in the midfield.
Coming off its eighth CAC championship and 13th NCAA tournament berth in program history, SALISBURY enters the 2016 season with a new head coach at the helm who inherits the team's three leading scorers from last season. New head coach and Salisbury alum Alex Hargrove has been with the Salisbury program the last 10 seasons, four as a player and six as a coach, and now takes over a group then did not lose a game in CAC play last season. Offensively, every player who scored three or more goals last season returns for the Gulls. Leslie Umunna led the charge in 2015 with seven goals and one assist for 15 points. Junior Brooks Zentgraf was second on the team last season for goals and points with six goals for 12 points. Coming back to the Salisbury defense in 2016 are established starters in Nathaniel Eiben, Kevin Miller, and Mike Kramer. Last season Eiben got first team All-CAC honors as he was third on the team in points after notching four goals and one assist.
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA has regrouped after a tough season last year, and is looking to make a mark in the conference. Third-year coach Josh Patino, with a new staff of coaches, seek their first CAC playoff berth as a program. Keenan Carroll returns in goal for the Knights hoping to lock down the defense of the young team. Also returning are seniors Carlos Munoz and Jared Attridge.
WESLEY will be seeking its third trip to the CAC playoffs in three years. The squad earned the third seed last season, hosting their first CAC Playoff game in postseason history. 2015 All-Conference selection Will Mileski leads 14 returners into the 2016 campaign.
YORK head coach Evan Scheffey must replace a strong core of players who led the Spartans to a second place finish in the 2015 regular season. Scheffey will turn to his focus to a young core that will be counted on to lead the Spartans into the 2016 season. Senior goalie Charlie Johnson is the most experienced Spartan returner as the talented net minder provides leadership to a young but highly talented defensive unit. Junior Joel Teston, the Spartans' lone returning All-CAC performer from last year, will spearhead a dynamic offensive group that will have the ability to put more goals on the board during the season.