Monmouth Chosen as MAAC Men's Soccer Preseason Favorite
MAAC Sports
EDISON, NJ – The defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) men’s soccer champion, Monmouth University, was chosen as the preseason favorite in 2015, as voted by the league’s eleven head coaches. Monmouth received 111 points with seven first place votes topping 2014 MAAC regular season champion, Quinnipiac University, which earned 95 points and one first place vote.
Monmouth’s championship campaign finished with a league record of 4-1-5 and an 11-4-6 overall mark. The Hawks defeated Fairfield, 2-1 in two overtime periods to claim the 2014 title and fell 2-1 in double overtime to No. 14 Xavier University in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Monmouth closed out 2014 as the nation leader in goals against average (0.48) and save percentage (.883) and led the conference in assists (28) and goals allowed (11). The Hawks placed six players on All-MAAC Teams and garnered the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year award in 2014.
Monmouth goalkeeper, Eric Klenofsky, was voted as the 2015 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. The junior was a member of the All-MAAC Second Team in 2014 and was the NCAA Division I Statistical champion in goals against average for the second consecutive year. The Lincoln Park, New Jersey native also finished second in both the nation and league in save percentage.
The 2014 MAAC regular season champion, Quinnipiac, recorded an undefeated MAAC record with a 7-0-3 mark and posted an overall record of 10-4-4 last year. The Bobcats took home two major awards in 2014, headlined by head coach Eric Da Costa being named Lids Team Sports MAAC Coach of the Year and placing six player on All-Conference Teams.
Iona College and Rider University (which received two first place votes) finished tied for third in the poll receiving 87 points, followed by 2014 MAAC Championship runner-up, Fairfield University which collected 83 points and the final first place vote. Siena College finished sixth in the poll with 77 points, followed by Canisius College with 52, and Marist College which picked up 44 points. Manhattan College (39), Saint Peter’s University (26), and Niagara University (25) rounded out the poll.
In addition to Klenofsky on the preseason All-MAAC team are his Monmouth teammate of Dave Nigro, Rider’s Florian Valot, and Siena’s Alexander Tejera at the forward position. At midfield are James Doig from Quinnipiac, Christian Flath from Rider, and Saint Peter’s Luke Fairlamb. The backs are made up of Canisius’ Thomas Teupen, Fairfield’s Angus Hastings, Iona’s Jordan Scarlett, Manhattan’s Abraham Bartoah, Monmouth’s Derek Luke, Quinnipiac’s Tobias Esche, Rider’s Sonimi Halliday, and Siena’s Danilo Markovic.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
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1.
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Monmouth
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111
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2.
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Quinnipiac
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95
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T3.
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Iona
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87
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T3.
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Rider
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87
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5.
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Fairfield
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83
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6.
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Siena
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77
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|
7.
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Canisius
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52
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8.
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Marist
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44
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9.
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Manhattan
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39
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10.
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Saint Peter’s
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26
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11.
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Niagara
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25
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Preseason All-MAAC Team
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Dave Nigro
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Forward
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Monmouth
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Florian Valot
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Forward
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Rider
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Alexander Tejera
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Forward
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Siena
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James Doig
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Midfield
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Quinnipiac
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Christian Flath
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Midfield
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Rider
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Luke Fairlamb
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Midfield
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Saint Peter’s
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Thomas Teupen
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Back
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Canisius
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Angus Hastings
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Back
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Fairfield
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Jordan Scarlett
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Back
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Iona
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Abraham Bartoah
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Back
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Manhattan
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Derek Luke
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Back
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Monmouth
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Tobias Esche
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Back
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Quinnipiac
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Sonimi Halliday
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Back
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Rider
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Danilo Markovic
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Back
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Siena
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Eric Klenofsky
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Goalkeeper
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Monmouth
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Preseason Player of the Year