Defending PSAC Champions Mercyhurst Picked First in Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
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2015 Men's Soccer Preseason Notes
Lock Haven, Pa. - After winning the PSAC and advancing to the Atlantic Regional Final in 2014, the Mercyhurst men’s soccer team enters the 2015 season as the favorites in the conference.
The Lakers were also picked first last season, a year in which they went 10-1 in the conference and won their second PSAC Championship in three years.
PSAC Championship MVP and PSAC Offensive Athlete of the Year Jack Watson returns for Mercyhurst, as does Second Team All-PSAC performer Richard Vanhorne.
This year, the Lakers, ranked ninth in the NSCAA Division II Poll, will be under the guidance of first year head coach Nenad Vidakovic. Vidakovic has been as assistant at Merchyhurst since 2005.
West Chester is picked second in the poll taken from the league’s head coaches. The Golden Rams were the lone PSAC team to defeat Mercyhurst last year and return two Second Team All-PSAC players, Matt Palmer and Miguel Ross, in addition to the reigning PSAC Freshman of the Year, Alex Lean.
Seton Hill is selected third in the poll, which matches last year’s finish for the Griffins. SHU finished 2014 on a hot streak, dropping only one of its final 10 regular season games. Two Second Team All-PSAC players return for the Griffins in midfielder Joe Smith and defender Harrison Howes.
The PSAC runner-up in 2014, Bloomsburg, comes in at fourth place in the poll. The Huskies were the fourth seed in last year’s Atlantic Regional, falling to eventual regional champion Charleston (W. Va.).
Rounding out the top five is Millersville. The Marauders return two-time First Team All-PSAC forward Jaime Vazquez. Vazquez was also named to the Atlantic All-Region Team last season, a year in which he had the eighth most points (18) in the PSAC.
Slippery Rock sits sixth in the poll, one spot below its finish last season. Rounding out the Top 10 are Gannon, California, Shippensburg, and Lock Haven. Last season, those four schools all finished the year within three points of each other.
East Stroudsburg and Pitt-Johnstown close out the rankings.
The entire preseason poll is listed below.
1. Mercyhurst
2. West Chester
3. Seton Hill
4. Bloomsburg
5. Millersville
6. Slippery Rock
7. Gannon
8. California
9. Shippensburg
10. Lock Haven
11. East Stroudsburg
12. Pitt-Johnstown