Penn State Behrend is a strong favorite to repeat
as men's
soccer champions in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference,
according to the AMCC pre-season coaches’ poll.
The Behrend Lions received five of ten first place votes.
Frostburg State University,
last season's runner-up in the AMCC title game, was
selected to finish second, while Pitt-Greensburg ranked third.
Preseason
Player of the Year honors were awarded to Pitt-Greensburg junior
Adam Zeleznick (South Park HS/Pittsburgh, PA),
2003's AMCC
Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. A forward
who has led the conference in scoring
for two years in a row, Zeleznick averaged 2.55 ppg last season with
26 goals and 4 assists in 22 games.
The AMCC welcomes three new members to the conference this season:
Hilbert College, Medaille College, and Mt. Aloysius College.
The conference will receive an automatic bid to the national
tournament for the first time in 2004.
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Other players to watch:
FROSTBURG STATE (5-1 AMCC, 10-7-2
overall)
M Jamie Ramand (John Carroll HS/Joppatown, MD)...Scored 1
goal and 5 assists, helping FSU to a runner-up league finish.
F Matt Moffa (Eastern Technical HS/Baltimore, MD)...First team
All-AMCC in 2003...scored 8 goals (3 GWG) and 3 assists for the Bobcats.
HILBERT (3-15 overall)
F Jacob Opala (West Seneca West HS/West Seneca, NY)...Led team
with 10 goals, 8 assists (18 points) last season...Hilbert's career
scoring leader with 56 points... 21 career goals just one shy of
all-time school leader Ryan Acanfora (01)...First team All-NEAC in 2003.
F/M Chris Fassl (Kenmore West HS/Kenmore, NY)...Hilbert's career
leader with 16 total assists...Scored 5 goals, 6 assists in 2003...Named
first team All-NEAC last season.
LA ROCHE (3-3 AMCC, 8-10-3 overall)
MF Fred Biney (John F. Kennedy HS/Silver Srping, MD)...Injured
most of the 2003 season, ready to make a strong comeback his senior
year...All-AMCC
honorable mention in 2001 and 2002.
MF Todd Downs (Hempfield
HS/Hempfield, PA)...A utility player last season, he
is expected be an important part of the Redhawks' success.
LAKE ERIE (1-5 AMCC, 3-13 overall)
D Justin Daly (Hubbard HS/Hubbard, OH)...Led team in
scoring with 14 goals and 3 assists..holds LEC single season record for
points (31) and goals (14)... second team All-Conference selection in
2003.
MF Jerrod Baxter (West Branch HS/Beloit, OH)...Team leader with 8
assists... added three goals for 14 total points...named honorable
mention All-AMCC last season.
MEDAILLE (12-4-3 overall)
F Cory Cwiklinski (Lancaster HS/Lancaster, NY)...Scored 65
points last season (24 goals, 17 assists) to lead the nation (Div. III) in
scoring as a freshman...NEAC Player of the Year in 2003...led NEAC in all offensive
categories.
GK Matthew Cooper (Churchville-Chili HS/Rochester, NY)...2003
stats: 41 saves, .804 save percentage, 4 shutouts, 1.33 GAA...record
of 5-1-1.
MT. ALOYSIUS (3-13 overall)
F Chinedu Odu (Lagos, Nigeria)...Led the Mounties with 10
goals and 7 assists last year.
M Andy Clay (Somerset, PA)...Contributed 6 goals and 5
assists in 2003.
PENN STATE ALTOONA (3-3 AMCC, 13-6 overall)
D Andrew Zechman (Middleburg HS/Paxtonville, PA)...First team All-AMCC
last year, honorable mention in 2002...scored 5 goals and 10 assists
last season, ranked nationally in assists several times.
D Ryan Zechman (Middleburg HS/Paxtonville, PA)...Second team All-AMCC
in 2003...team's second leading scorer last year with 10 goals and 3
assists.
PENN STATE BEHREND (5-1 AMCC, 14-5-2
overall)
D Dan Bash (Thomas Jefferson HS/Pittsburgh, PA)...First team All-AMCC
defender last year...helped team to conference-best goals against
average (.89 GAA).
F Stanley Kaweesi-Katongole (Oakland Mills HS/Columbia, MD)...A
second team all-conference selection as a freshman last year.
PITT-BRADFORD (0-6 AMCC, 3-13 overall)
GK Michael Ruffino (Sweet Home HS/Amherst, NY)...Split
time in goal last season, earning 1 shutout and a 4.29 GAA in 7
games...led conference in saves per game (9.71).
M Winnie Rajakumat (Monroeville, PA)...One of the Panthers'
scoring leaders in 2003.
PITT-GREENSBURG (4-2 AMCC, 15-6-2 overall)
MF Dave Tintera (Penn Trafford HS/Harrison City, PA)...Two
time first team all-conference selection...Ranked third in the AMCC in scoring,
first in assists with 12 goals and 16 assists in 2003 |
