Different Year, Same Preseason Pick
MIAC men's soccer preview courtesy of Matt Higgins and the MIAC office
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BLOOMINGTON, Minn. –-- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) enjoyed an outstanding 2015 season on the men's soccer field, and with the 2016 campaign set to kick off on Thursday, anticipation is high to see if the league can continue is collective ascent in NCAA Division III.
A year ago, there were success stories across the fields of the MIAC, as the league sent two teams – Macalester and St. Olaf – to the NCAA Tournament. Both reached the second round where they squared off against one another. The Oles prevailed for their first-ever trip to the Sweet 16 to put the postseason cherry on top of a tremendous season for the conference as a whole.
In all, the MIAC had four teams – the Scots, St. Olaf, St. Thomas and Saint John's – each finish with 12 or more victories. More than half of the conference – six teams, to be exact – finished above .500 and one more squad was just a game below even. All but one of the MIAC's 11 teams won at least six games in 2015, resulting in tremendous parity and excitement throughout the entire season.
However, the two headliners were the league's two NCAA Tournament teams. Macalester had a remarkable season and claimed the conference championship without a loss (8-0-2) in MIAC play. The Oles finished fourth in the regular season standings but got hot at the right time, rallying for three wins to claim the MIAC Playoff title, and the team added two more wins in the national tournament to earn a spot in the Sweet 16.
Saint John's was the regular-season runner-up a year ago, and joined Macalester with a first-round bye in the MIAC Playoffs, where the Johnnies ran into the red-hot Oles in a 1-0 loss. Carleton claimed third place and a Playoff bid as well, with St. Thomas and Hamline sharing fifth place and grabbing the final two MIAC tournament spots. The Tommies pulled off a pair of dramatic road upsets – at Carleton (1-0, OT) and at Macalester (2-1) – to reach the MIAC Playoff title where their magical run ended in a 2-0 loss to St. Olaf.
Gustavus was just outside the Playoff picture in seventh place, with Augsburg just two points back of the Gusties in eighth. Bethel, Concordia and Saint Mary's rounded out the final three places in the standings. However, each of those five teams certainly had their highlights, and reason for optimism to challenge for Playoff contention as 2016 begins.
The 2016 season is set to start Thursday, with eight of the MIAC's 11 teams opening their season against nonconference foes. The others will kick things off over the following days, with MIAC teams warming up against out-of-conference competition over the seasons opening weeks. Conference play begins Wednesday, Sept. 14, and will run through the regular season's final day – Saturday, Oct. 29. The MIAC Playoffs will follow with quarterfinals on Tuesday, Nov. 1, semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 2, and the championship on Saturday, Nov. 5. The tournament champ will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, although if 2015 is an indication, multiple teams may be in line to represent the conference on the sport's biggest stage.
Though Macalester separated itself throughout the regular season a year ago, and St. Olaf stole the show in the postseason, numerous teams enter the 2016 campaign hopeful that they could be the one left standing at the end. This season, the battle for the MIAC men's soccer championship and six MIAC Playoff spots expects to be a can't-miss, season-long fight with excitement and intrigue to spare.
COACHES CALL FOR A SCOTS REPEAT
The MIAC coaches once again cast their votes in the Preseason Coaches' Poll, and the top-end talent was reflected in the voting, as four different teams received first-place votes and just 13 points seprated the top four. However, Macalester's unbeaten run through the conference a year ago wasn't forgotten as the coaches tabbed the Scots as the favorite to repeat. Macalester headlined the poll with six first-place votes and a total of 89 points.
The strong postseason runs of St. Olaf and St. Thomas made them the top contenders, as each received two first-place votes. The Oles finished with a total of 81 points to grab the No. 2 spot, and St. Thomas was just two points back with 79. 2015 runner-up Saint John's is also expected to be in the mix again, as the Johnnies received the other first-place vote and 76 total points to round out an exceptionally strong top four.
Carleton (61 points) grabbed the final spot in the top five, while Gustavus (52 points) edged Hamline (51 points) by a single point for the final spot in the coaches' predicted six-team Playoff field. Augsburg received 44 points to finish eighth in the poll and also figure into the postseason mix, and Bethel (33 points), Concordia (24 points) and Saint Mary's (15 points) rounded out the final three spots in the preseason predictions.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
It's easy to see why the coaches are confident in the Scots' chances to repeat, as Macalester and Head Coach Gregg Olson have a ton of talent coming back from last season's 14-2-5 (8-0-2 MIAC, 26 points) team, led by a trio of talented seniors. Two-time All-MIAC and First Team All-Region goalkeeper Zeke Vainer is back as the team's defensive anchor. Midfielder Charlie Burr is back as well after earning All-MIAC and Second Team All-Region honors in 2015, and Austin Burrows leads the Scots' forwards after scoring eight goals and earning All-MIAC Honorable Mention (HM) honors a year ago.
The Oles definitely have some talent to replace from last season's Sweet 16 team, but Head Coach Kurt Anderson's cupboard certainly isn't bare following last season's 15-8-1 (6-3-1 MIAC, 19 points) campaign. All-MIAC HM senior Erik Frank and classmate Tyler Rosera are both back to lead the team's defensive corps, while Aaron Miller is also back to provide senior leadership in the midfield after starting all 24 games a year ago.
St. Thomas and Saint John's are well-known for their football rivalry, but their soccer programs head into 2106 looking with equally high hopes. The Tommies (12-7-1, 5-4-1 MIAC, 16 points) bring back All-MIAC duo Pierce Erickson (Jr. F) and Mark Heydt (Sr. D) and two-time All-MIAC HM defender Johnny Mulvahill also returns to lead a talented team in St. Paul. The Johnnies (12-4-2, 7-2-1 MIAC, 22 points) re-stock their roster behind a strong senior nucleus. Rocky Harmon returns in the midfield, Dylan Lehrer is back on defense, and Sam Newman will lead the forwards after a strong summer performance with Division III Team USA on its trip to Brazil.
Carleton (9-6-4, 6-2-2 MIAC, 20 points) was third a year ago and must replace MIAC Player-of-the-Year Branden McGarrity, but Head Coach Bob Carlson's team still has legitimate hopes of contending in his 20th season leading the Knights. All-MIAC HM defender Stephen Baisch returns, as does leading goal-scorer Danny Leal and talented goalkeeper Brandon Hilliard. Gustavus (9-5-3, 3-4-3 MIAC, 12 points) was above .500 overall but missed out on the postseason last year but hopes to be right back in contention in 2016 with plenty of offensive talent back in St. Peter. Senior forward Patrick Roth and his team-leading 16 points return, as do junior midfielder Matt Murakami and sophomore forward Arthur Parens.
Hamline (8-9-2, 5-4-1 MIAC, 16 points) was one of 2015's brightest surprises in conference play, as the Pipers scored a top-five finish and a trip to the MIAC Playoffs. This season, two-time All-MIAC midfielder Jake Niemann returns to lead the team, alongside All-MIAC HM defender Oscar Campbell and fellow mid James Reardon. Augsburg (6-10-2, 3-6-1 MIAC, 10 points) has a ton of senior talent back as it tries to work its way back into the Playoff picture in 2016. Forward Ben Henry returns for his final season after earning two-striaght All-MIAC honors and Third Team All-Region accolades in 2015, and he's joined by decorated defensive duo Barinedum Kordah (All-MIAC) and Festus Lamin (All-MIAC HM).
Bethel (6-10-2, 2-7-1 MIAC, 7 points) went 5-5 in its last 10 games in 2015 and hopes to carry that momentum forward behind the return of senior forward Danny Jaderholm and juniors Jakob Bartels (GK) and Kevin Hintz (MF). Concordia (4-14, 2-8 MIAC, 6 points) has a strong group of upperclassmen back as the Cobbers look for improvement. Seniors Ben Gologoza (GK) and Sage Thornbrugh (F) were both All-MIAC HM picks, and Jacob Schmidt (Jr. MF) led the team in scoring in 2015. Saint Mary's (6-9-3, 0-7-3 MIAC, 3 points) went 6-2 against nonconference competition in 2015 and hopes to carry that into the MIAC this season behind the return of All-MIAC HM defender Chris Beiersdorf and forwards Jared Wolt and Jim Dreshar, who shared the team lead in goals a year ago.
2016 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.