Wednesday, August 03, 2011

MACON, Ga. – Only one point separated FGCU and ETSU in the 2011 Atlantic Sun Conference Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll, the Eagles garnered the top spot with five first-place votes after they finished with a 9-0 conference record last season, while the Buccaneers, winners of their first A-Sun Championship title in the program’s third year of existence, claimed the remaining four first-place tallies.

Each team earned individual preseason honors as the Bucs’ sophomore midfielder Itode Fubara was named the Preseason Player of the Year and the Eagles’ Adam Glick earned the tab of Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Fubara, the 2010 Freshman of the Year and A-Sun Championship Most Valuable Player, scored four goals last season and assisted on three others. Glick, a senior goalkeeper, led the conference in several categories including; goals against average (0.62), save percentage (.853) and shutouts (8). He ranked seventh nationally in GAA and save percentage.

Joining Glick and Fubara as unanimous choices to the all-conference team were Aaron Schoenfeld and Deion Jones. Schoenfeld, a two-time all-conference selection, led the Bucs in scoring and points last season with seven goals and 17 points, while Jones, a junior defender, totaled the same numbers as Schoenfeld last season to lead the Eagles.

Josey Portillo and Ryan Price also appeared on the preseason team for FGCU, which led the preseason list with four selections. The duo both finished with 12 points last season to rank second on the team.

Stetson earned the three-spot in the preseason ranking following its runner-up finish at the 2010 A-Sun Championship. Jonathan Mendoza and Gonzalo De Mujica both adorned the all-conference team as midfielders. Mendoza topped the conference list for assists with 11 and ranked sixth nationally for assists per game (0.61), while De Mujica’s three game-winning goals were best on the Hatters’ squad.

Jacksonville and Mercer followed Stetson in the preseason poll. The Dolphins and Bears both reached the 2010 A-Sun Men’s Soccer Championship and both placed a defender on the preseason team with JU’s Tobias Hottner and MU’s Josh Shutter.

A senior forward, Garret Pettis represented Lipscomb – the sixth-ranked preseason team – on the all-conference team after he ranked second in the conference in goals (8) and fourth in points (19) last season. North Florida took the seventh spot in the poll, entering the season under the guidance of new head coach Derek Marinatos.

Belmont’s Brandon Tarr, a two-time all-conference selection, completed the preseason team. Tarr registered the second-most points in the A-Sun last season with 20 and tallied the forth-most goals with seven. The Bruins earned the eighth spot in the poll ahead of USC Upstate.

For the second-straight season, ETSU and Summers-Taylor Stadium will host the Atlantic Sun Men’s Soccer Championship. The tournament takes place from November 9-13 with the First, Semifinal and Championship Rounds all taking place in Johnson City, Tenn.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an NCAA Division I league with 10 member institutions committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun meets the challenge of maintaining the highest standards in academic and athletic achievement with a true balance between student and athlete. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.