Boston College Athletics
Men's Soccer Chosen Fourth In BIG EAST Poll
July 25, 2001 | Men's Soccer
July 25, 2001
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - The men's soccer team, fresh off its 2000 BIG EAST Tournament title, was chosen to finish fourth in the 13-team BIG EAST Conference, according to the Preseason Coaches' Poll released by the league today. Defending national champion Connecticut was chosen first with 11 first-place votes, followed by St. John's second and Rutgers third with the remaining two first-place votes.
In addition, 2000 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year Casey Schmidt (Newbury Park, Calif.), a junior forward, was voted the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and chosen to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team. Last season, Schmidt scored 14 points - six goals and two assists - in BIG EAST games, as the team was undefeated when he scored. Overall, he registered 19 points - eight goals and three assists - in 17 games. Later in the season, he was a first team New England regional All-America selection.
In 2000, the men's team was selected ninth in the preseason poll, but went on to a 7-3-1 record in the league and a third-place finish overall. The Eagles won the BIG EAST Tournament, defeating Seton Hall 2-1, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1990. The team finished the campaign with a 12-7-1 overall record.
This season, the Eagles return eight starters and will add seven newcomers to the team. Their season officially begins on Aug. 31 with a league contest against Syracuse at 3 p.m. at the Newton Campus Soccer Field, but the exhibition season begins on Aug. 19 against Southern Connecticut at 1 p.m. at home.
2001 BIG EAST MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
1. Connecticut (11) 143 2. St. John's 129 3. Rutgers (2) 123 4. BOSTON COLLEGE 99 5. Seton Hall 98 6. Notre Dame 94 7. Georgetown 89 8. Syracuse 66 9. Pittsburgh 54 10. West Virginia 44 11. Providence 32 12. Virginia Tech 22 13. Villanova 21 (first-place votes in parentheses)
Offensive Player of the Year: Casey Schmidt, BC
Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Gbandi, Connecticut
Goalkeeper of the Year: Bryheem Hancock, Connecticut
PRESEASON BIG EAST TEAM
Guy Abrahamson, M, Rutgers
David Boutilier, B, Rutgers
Erich Braun, F, Notre Dame
Cesar Cuellar, F, Connecticut
Chris Gbandi, B, Connecticut
Bryheem Hancock, GK, Connecticut
Shalrie Joseph, M, St. John's
Dennis Ludwig, F, Rutgers
Jeff Mateo, M, St. John's
Kenny Owens, M/B, Georgetown
Casey Schmidt, F, Boston College
Greg Strohmann, F, Seton Hall
