EDISON, NJ (Sept. 29, 2021) –The conference portion of the 2021 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) men’s soccer season is set to begin today. 10 MAAC teams will see their first conference action today, with every team having their first conference game by this Saturday.
 
Conference play kicks off Wednesday afternoon when Fairfield University travels to Jersey City to take Saint Peter’s at 2:00 p.m. The Stags and Peacocks were selected to finish tied for second and eighth, respectively in the MAAC Coaches’ Preseason Poll. Fairfield had one selection to the Preseason All-MAAC Team when the Stags back Cormac Pike was named to the team.
 
Two other MAAC Matches start at 3:00 p.m. when Siena College takes on Quinnipiac University and Iona College plays Manhattan College. The preseason favorite, Bobcats, open the season at home when they host the Saints, who were voted 10^th in the preseason poll. Quinnipiac placed a conference-high six players to the Preseason All-MAAC Team, including the 2021 Preseason Player of the Year, Brage Aasen. The Bobcats were also ranked eighth in the latest United Soccer Coaches Region Poll and earlier this season received votes in two separate National Top 25 Polls. The Jaspers will host the Gaels in their first conference matchup, the two teams were voted ninth and sixth in the MAAC Coaches’ Preseason Poll.
 
At 4:00 p.m. today, Marist College will take on Canisius College in Buffalo, NY at the Demske Sports Complex. The Griffs will be looking to prove doubters wrong as they were selected last in the MAAC Coaches’ Preseason Poll while they take on the Red Foxes who were selected to finish fifth in the poll. Marist will also be looking for a bounce-back season after being unable to compete in the truncated spring season last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Rounding out conference play tonight the defending MAAC Champion, Monmouth University, plays host to Rider University at 7:00 p.m. The Hawks were voted tied for second in the MAAC Coaches’ Preseason Poll, and received three first-place votes. Monmouth also had four selections to the Preseason All-MAAC Team. The Broncs were selected to fourth in the preseason poll and had their midfielder, Francisco Gomez Olano selected to the Preseason All-MAAC Team.
 
Niagara University will open their conference schedule on Saturday, October 2, when they travel to Fairfield. The Purple Eagles will be looking to return to the MAAC Championship this season, for the first time since 2012 when they captured their first MAAC title.
 
This week’s full schedule is below:
 
Wednesday, September 29
 
Fairfield at Saint Peter’s – 2:00 p.m.
Siena at Quinnipiac – 3:00 p.m.
Iona at Manhattan – 3:00 p.m.
Marist at Canisius – 4:00 p.m.
Rider at Monmouth – 7:00 p.m.
 
Saturday, October 2
 
Siena at Manhattan – 1:00 p.m.
Monmouth at Saint Peter’s – 2:00 p.m.
Canisius at Iona – 2:00 p.m.
Niagara at Fairfield – 7:00 p.m.
Quinnipiac at Marist – 7:00 p.m.
 
Keep up with all MAAC soccer action by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For championship information, visit MAACSports.com/MSOC.
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 41st year of competition during the 2021-22 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.