EDISON, NJ (Aug. 16, 2023) – Quinnipiac University has been chosen as the favorites to repeat as Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men’s Soccer champion in 2023, according to the MAAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll, while Brage Aasen of the Bobcats has been named Preseason Player of the Year, as voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.
The Bobcats collected a league-high 119 points with nine first-place votes in the poll. In 2022, Quinnipiac secured its program’s fifth MAAC Regular Season title after compiling a MAAC-best 20 points by way of a 6-2-2 conference mark. The Bobcats capped off the season by winning their program’s second MAAC Championship crown and finishing the season with a 13-5-3 overall record which included an unbeaten 10-0-1 home stanza. Quinnipiac also boasted the most potent offensive attack in the MAAC and one of the best in the nation last season, finishing top-10 nationally in six statistical offensive categories, including ranking second in the nation in total goals, assists, and points.
2022 MAAC Championship runner-up, Iona University, finished second in the poll, tallying 103 points, while Manhattan College compiled 99 points and received the final two first-place votes. 2022 MAAC Championship qualifiers Siena College (74) and Fairfield University (73) rounded out the league’s top-five, finishing in fourth-place and fifth-place in the poll, respectively.
Quinnipiac fifth year striker, Aasen, was named 2023 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. The Frogner, Norway native became a four-time all-conference honoree last season, earning his third straight appearance on the All-MAAC First Team in addition to being voted to the MAAC All-Rookie team as a first year in 2019. Despite only competing in 12 matches in 2022, Aasen accounted for five goals, seven assists, and 17 points for the Bobcats. The forward ranked second on the MAAC leaderboard in both points per game and assists per game, and he ranked top-10 in the league in goals, goals per game, assists, points, game-winning goals, shots, and shots on goal. Additionally, Aasen was named to the 2022 United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Second Team last season.
The rest of the Preseason All-MAAC Team and full Preseason Coaches’ Poll can be found below.
| 2023 Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Quinnipiac |
119 (9) |
| 2 |
Iona |
103 |
| 3 |
Manhattan |
99 (2) |
| 4 |
Siena |
74 |
| 5 |
Fairfield |
73 |
| 6 |
Marist |
72 |
| 7 |
Niagara |
69 |
| 8 |
Rider |
37 |
| 9 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
36 |
| 10 |
Saint Peter’s |
29 |
| 11 |
Canisius |
15 |
| Preseason Player of the Year |
| Brage Aasen – Quinnipiac |
| Preseason All-MAAC Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Gunnar Studenhofft |
Forward |
Jr. |
Manhattan |
| Brage Aasen |
Forward |
5Y. |
Quinnipiac |
| Tomas Svecula |
Forward |
5Y. |
Quinnipiac |
| Raz Amir |
Midfield |
Jr. |
Fairfield |
| Sergio Gonzalez Fernandez |
Midfield |
So. |
Iona |
| Henry Hamilton |
Midfield |
So. |
Manhattan |
| Jared Juleau |
Midfield |
Jr. |
Marist |
| Tim Timchenko |
Back |
Jr. |
Iona |
| Nassim Akki |
Back |
So. |
Manhattan |
| Henrik Winkelmann |
Back |
Jr. |
Siena |
| Karl Netzell |
Goalkeeper |
So. |
Quinnipiac |
The 2023 MAAC Men's Soccer Championship will take place from November 5-12. The six-team, single-elimination championship will be hosted by the higher seed of each match. The opening round will take place on Sunday, November 5, followed by the semifinals on Thursday, November 9, and concluding with the championship match on Sunday, November 12. For all information regarding the 2023 MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship, please 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 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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