Stevens Picked to Win Empire 8 Men's Soccer Title
August 13, 2007
ROCHESTER, NY – Stevens Institute of Technology will enter its inaugural season competing in Empire 8 men’s soccer as the coaches’ choice to finish first. The Ducks, who captured their fifth straight Skyline Conference title and finished 18-0-3 last season, received five first-place votes in the preseason poll.
Senior forward Mike Kaiser has scored 26 goals in the past two seasons in which the Ducks have compiled a 34-4-5 mark. Sophomore forward Terrance Johnson scored twice and added an assist in Stevens’ 5-2 win over the University of Rochester in a second-round NCAA game last year.
Nazareth College, which captured the Empire 8 title a year ago as the third seed, is the coaches’ choice to place second this season and received three first-place votes. The Golden Flyers, who advanced to the national quarterfinals last season, were led by NCAA Division III Third Team All-American selection Mohammed Ahamed. The sweeper was also named Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year.
Ithaca College, which has lost only one regular season game in its last 33 conference matchups, is picked third in the preseason poll. The Bombers, the top seed in the Empire 8 tournament from 2002-2005 and the second seed a year ago, were led by Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year Kurt Odenbach. The junior forward has earned first-team all-conference honors each of his first two seasons.
Rochester Institute of Technology, the top seed in last year’s conference tournament, is the coaches’ choice to finish fourth this year and garner the last spot in this year’s tournament. Senior Mark Frisicano was named to the all-conference first team and led the Tigers in scoring a year ago.
Utica College and Alfred University were chosen by the coaches to finish fifth and sixth, respectively this season. Senior forward Evan Dufault was named to the all-conference first team, sharing the conference lead in points (23) with Adam Long of the Saxons. Utica posted two conference wins last year for the first time in the program’s history. Alfred earned the fourth spot in last season’s conference tournament and has twice shared the Empire 8 title.
St. John Fisher College and Elmira College finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the preseason poll. Senior forward Adam Blanchard of the Cardinals has earned all-conference honors each of his three years, including Rookie of the Year honors in 2004. Last year’s Rookie of the Year was Brian Haschke of the Soaring Eagles, who led the team in scoring and was tied for the conference lead in goals.
The conference has featured great depth in the past and the addition of Stevens will only make this year even more competitive. The third or fourth seed in the conference tournament has won or shared the Empire 8 title each of the past four years.
The NSCAA/adidas Preseason Poll will be announced on Tuesday.
2007 Empire 8 Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Stevens Institute of Technology (5 first-place votes) 46 points
2. Nazareth College (3) 43
3. Ithaca College 38
4. Rochester Institute of Technology 33
5. Utica College 22
6. Alfred University 18
7. St. John Fisher College 16
8. Elmira College 8