Looking For A Lift Up The Mountain

MIAC men's soccer preview courtesy of Matt Higgins and the MIAC office

Click here for the complete MIAC men's soccer preview

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- A year ago, just four total points separated the top five teams in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) men's soccer standings. The 2015 season is about to begin, and based on last year's finish and the returning talent around the league, it could be just as close at the top this time around.

In 2014, St. Olaf finished with 23 points (12-5-2 overall, 7-1-2 MIAC) to claim the MIAC's regular-season title by a single point over the duo of Gustavus (16-5-1 overall, 7-2-1 MIAC) and Carleton (10-7-2 overall, 7-2-1 MIAC), as each finished with 22 points. Saint John's (13-7 overall, 7-3 MIAC) was another point back in fourth with 21 points, and Macalester's 19 points (11-6-2 overall, 6-3-1 MIAC) rounded out a tightly-grouped top five.

St. Thomas (9-8-2 overall, 4-4-2 MIAC, 14 points) grabbed the sixth and final spot in the new-look MIAC Playoffs by two points over an upstart Bethel (8-10 overall, 4-6 MIAC, 12 points) squad that outperformed expectations. Augsburg (5-11-2 overall, 3-6-1 MIAC, 10 points) also stayed in postseason contention until the season's end, and Hamline (6-10-2 overall, 2-7-1 MIAC, 7 points), Saint Mary's (6-11-1, 2-8 MIAC, 6 points) and Concordia (2-15-1, 1-8-1 MIAC, 4 points) rounded out the 2014 final standings.

The fun didn't stop there, as the MIAC Playoffs expanded to six teams in 2014, and the new format produced additional postseason drama. Carleton and Saint John's were both 2-0 winners in the quarterfinals, and the Johnnies kept rolling into the title game with a 4-1 semifinal win over St. Olaf. Gustavus beat Carleton 1-0 in the other semi, and the Gusties used a 2-0 win over the Johnnies to claim the conference's postseason crown and cap off an unforgettably competitive campaign in the MIAC.

Will the 2015 season match the drama of the 2014 campaign? The usual suspects are all back in contention, and while several have key players to replace, there is plenty of returning talent among the conference's top teams to keep them in the title hunt again this season. Also, the expanded Playoffs certainly did keep things interesting for a majority of the MIAC deep into the season, and the race for the six postseason bids figures to be equally compelling again this year.

Will any of 2014's top teams stumble and take a step backwards this season? Which teams will show the most improvement and leap into championship or Playoff contention? Will the championship again be a multiple-team battle into the season's final day? Fortunately, the season is less than a week away, and those key questions will be answered over the two months to follow.

THE POLLS ARE IN
The MIAC coaches predict that the 2015 season will feature another entertaining battle for the MIAC crown with five teams separated by just 14 points occupying the poll's top four spots, with the first-place votes spread among the top three contenders. Gustavus received the most points - 85 - and three first-place votes to barely edge St. Olaf and Saint John's for the No. 1 spot in the poll. The Oles received the most first-place votes (five) and were second overall with 82 points, and the Johnnies claimed the other three first-place votes and 80 total points.

The next two teams weren't far behind either, as both Carleton and Macalester finished with identical totals of 71 points to share fourth place and add their names to the long list of championship contenders. The coaches awarded 59 points to St. Thomas to round out the top six spots and the anticipated six-team Playoff field.

Bethel (42 points) edged Augsburg (41 points) by the slimmest of margins for seventh place. Hamline received 34 points to finish ninth and Saint Mary's (21 points) and Concordia (19 points) rounded out the final spots in the coaches' preseason rankings.

The first national polls won't be available for a few weeks, as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) won't release its first regular season poll until Sept. 15, and D3soccer.com typically does its first national poll during the second week of the season. MIAC fans will wait to see how the first two weeks play out and speculate where the conference's elite teams will appear in the national polls.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Gustavus finished second in the regular season and won the MIAC Playoff title a year ago, and hopes for continued success in 2015 despite the loss of the last two MIAC Players-of-the-Year - David Lilly and Zach Brown. All-MIAC midfielder Charlie Adams is back, along with senior starter Jason Schwab on defense to lead Mike Middleton's squad. Junior forward Patrick Roth also returns to give Gustavus a balanced, talented core of veterans.

The Oles claimed the MIAC regular-season title in 2014, and Head Coach Kurt Anderson has most of his squad back intact for the title defense. All-MIAC forwards Jens Undlin and Kevin Skrip are both back to lead a high-powered St. Olaf offense, as the two combined for 23 goals and five assists a year ago. Junior All-MIAC selection Eric Frank is also back for a talented Ole team.

Saint John's reached the MIAC Playoff title game a year ago, and lost a trio of talented forwards, but Head Coach John Haws has a deep group of veterans back to keep SJU in contention in 2015. A pair of All-MIAC midfielders both return in Rocky Harmon and Alex Niederloh, who each racked up 13 points a year ago, and senior keeper Kevin Lebahn is back in the net for the Johnnies.

Carleton's 2015 aspirations start with the return of three-time All-MIAC forward Branden McGarrity, who has been one of the league's top offensive threats since his arrival on campus. All-MIAC midfielder Sam Hayward and Honorable Mention defender Riley Phelps are also back for the Knights. Macalester has star goalkeeper Zeke Vainer back in the net after an All-MIAC campaign last season, and fellow All-Conference honoree Alan Wismayer-Schembri and Honorable Mention forward Austin Burrows are also back in the Scots lineup in 2015 as they eye a return to the MIAC Playoffs.

St. Thomas also returns one of the league's top scorers in two-time All-MIAC forward Miles Stockman-Willis, and he's joined in a talented Tommie lineup by Honorable Mention forward/midfielder Johnny Mulvahill and senior defender and team captain Shane Marshall. Bethel brings back some of its top talent from last season's surprising squad, starting with All-MIAC midfielder Ryan Ness and his 12 goals. Defender Tim Ness also returns, as does junior forward Danny Jaderholm.

Augsburg has some holes to fill in the middle, but should be strong both up front, and in the back. Junior All-MIAC forward Ben Henry returns to lead the Auggie offense, while defenders Ngochinyan Ollor and Barindeum Kordah also return in 2015. Hamline has to replace three-year starter Derrick Mora at keeper, but has senior forward Abbai Habte and sophomore defender Oscar Campbell both back, and 2013 All-MIAC forward Jake Niemann returns for the Pipers after missing the 2014 season with a military commitment.

Saint Mary's hopes to keep climbing in the MIAC standings and has most of its scoring back, starting with All-MIAC Honorable Mention selections Ryan Geidner and Jared Wolt, and Cody Balogh is also back in 2015. Concordia also brings back nearly all of its nucleus for a year ago, and hopes for improvement in 2015. Juniors Sage Thornbrugh and Matthew Fulks both return after leading the team in points a year ago, and sophomore keeper Ben Glogoza is back to build on his strong rookie year.

CIRCLE THESE DATES
The start of the 2015 season is less than a week away, so fans no doubt have Sept. 1 circled on the calendar, as 10 of the league's teams open the season that day, and all 11 will debut within the season's first 48 hours. Conference play will start on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and will run through a Halloween finale on Oct. 31, with title hopes and Playoff aspirations likely going all the way until the season's final buzzer. The six-team Playoffs will take place the following week, with quarterfinal games set for Tuesday, Nov. 3, semifinals to follow on Wednesday, Nov. 4, and the championship will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7.

There will be plenty of intriguing matchups along the way, starting with the round-robin between the top three teams in the Coaches' Poll. Gustavus will host St. Olaf in one of the season's first big games on Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. The Gusties then travel to Saint John's on Oct. 14 (4 p.m.), and the Johnnies will also have home-field advantage when they welcome the Oles on the season's final day, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m.

Carleton and Macalester also hope to be in the title hunt and Playoff picture, so their matchup on Oct. 17 in Northfield, Minn., at 1 p.m. will be another can't-miss showdown. St. Thomas will travel to Bethel on Sept. 19 for a 1 p.m. game that will be big for both team's postseason hopes. Hamline travels to Augsburg for a big Twin Cities rivalry showdown under the lights on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. and Saint Mary's heads to Moorhead, Minn., to take on Concordia on Oct. 3 (3:30 p.m.) in a matchup of teams both hoping for bigger and better things in 2015.

2015 MIAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll

Coaches voted for every team in the conference except their own team. Points were assigned for each vote (10 for first, nine for second, etc.) Teams are ranked in order of highest point total to lowest with vote totals listed and first-place votes shown in parentheses.