UConn Men’s Soccer Voted The American’s Preseason #1

Connecticut has been voted the unanimous preseason favorite in the American Athletic Conference men’s soccer inaugural season by the league’s nine head coaches. Connecticut finished 2012 with a record of 17-4-1 and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the 13th time in program history.

Junior goalkeeper Andre Blake was a unanimous selection for the Preseason Goal Keeper of the Year for the second straight season. Blake won BIG EAST Goal Keeper of the Year in his first two seasons at UConn, ranking fifth in the nation last season in goals against average (.53) and ninth in save percentage (.850).

Joining Blake on the Preseason All-Conference Team was senior forward Mamadou Doudou Diouf, who was selected as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season. Diouf led the Huskies last season with 15 goals.

Connecticut earned eight of the nine first-place votes for 64 points to lead the conference. Louisville garnered one first place vote and was selected to finish second in the conference, while the University of South Florida was voted to finish third. Head coaches were not permitted to vote for their own programs as is standard practice.

UConn was the only school with two unanimous selections on the Preseason All-Conference Team and Louisville led the conference with three players selected to the team.
The Huskies open the regular season at home on August 30th against St. Francis (NY). Connecticut starts the year ranked No. 5 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll.

2013 American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll

1. UConn (8) 64

2. Louisville (1) 55

3. USF 49

4. SMU 42

5. Rutgers 33

6. Memphis 28

7. UCF 26

8. Cincinnati 18

9. Temple 9

2013 American Athletic Conference Preseason Award Winners

Preseason Goal Keeper of the Year
*Andre Blake, UConn, GK, Jr.

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
*Ben Sweat, USF, B, Sr.

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Mamadou Doudou Diouf, UConn, F, Sr.

Preseason All-Conference Team
Richardo Israel, Cincinnati, B, So.
*Andre Blake, UConn, GK, Jr.
*Mamadou Doudou Diouf, UConn, F, Sr.
Zack Foxhoven, Louisville, F, Sr.
Marlon Hairston, Louisville, MF, So.
Daniel Keller, Louisville, B, R-Jr.
Liam Collins, Memphis, MF, Sr.
*Mark Sherrod, Memphis, F, R-Sr.
Kene Eze, Rutgers, F, Sr.
Mael Corboz, Rutgers, MF, So.
*Ben Sweat, USF, B, Sr.
*Damian Rosales, SMU, B, R-Jr.
Jared Martinelli, Temple, MF, So.

*unanimous selection

Reprinted with permission from UConnHuskies.com

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