GREENWOOD, Ind. – Coaches and select student-athletes around the Great Midwest Athletic Conference sounded off about the upcoming men’s soccer season as part of the league’s preseason preview.
 
Intriguing storylines will surface throughout the G-MAC as each school continues to prepare for the fall, including the following:
 
Can anyone slow down Cedarville streaking to a possible third consecutive conference tournament title?
Will the G-MAC be able to crash the NCAA Division II Championship bracket?
Does the youthful talent at Alderson Broaddus take the next developmental step this fall after being picked second in the preseason coaches poll?
Can the conference make some non-conference noise and beat a nationally-ranked opponent?
Could another school surprise and rise to contender status?
 
Two of the most prolific point scorers in the conference’s young history, James Pucci (Davis & Elkins) and Christakis Agisilaou (Kentucky Wesleyan), have moved on, respectfully, and eyes will be looking out for the next talent to emerge.

New head coaches have also taken their posts at Davis & Elkins (Dr. Greg Myers) and Ohio Valley (Luis Rincon).
 
Each school in the seven-team team will play each other twice in the regular season, making the road to the G-MAC Championship that much more difficult.
 
Without an automatic qualifier bid to the 35-team NCAA Division II Championship, securing a spot in the regional rankings is imperative to potentially earn a bid in the national field.
 
Each school in order is based off results from the G-MAC Preseason Coaches Poll. 

 

NO. 1 CEDARVILLE YELLOW JACKETS Head Coach: Brett Faro 2014 Record (Overall): 14-4-2 2014 Record (G-MAC): 7-0-1 2014 All-G-MAC Returners: (Connor Gilmour, first team; Jared Newman, first team; Paul Messerly, second team; Joel Twinem, second team) Key Departures: (Jarrett Kersten, first team; Ethan Shula, second team)

 
2015 Outlook: The G-MAC has seen a string of sustained conference dominance from the Yellow Jackets, who head into the fall as the overwhelming preseason favorite.
 
The Yellow Jackets have rolled since two-time G-MAC Coach of the Year Brett Faro assumed leadership of the program in 2013. Since 2012, the first year of G-MAC competition, Cedarville has amassed 44 wins, double the amount of the next team in line (Trevecca Nazarene, 22).
 
If dynamic senior forward Connor Gilmour can match his 2014 production with 32 points, he would be tied with former Davis & Elkins dynamo James Pucci (2013-14) as the conference’s all-time leader with 92.
 
Gilmour tied for the league lead in goals (14) and paced the conference in points last season. Christian Alexander, the G-MAC’s fourth-leading scorer in 2014 with 10 goals and six assists, is also back as a weapon along with senior Zachary Harris.
 
Defense remains integral to the team’s success and the Yellow Jackets have averaged less than a goal per game allowed over the past three years.
 
Gone is G-MAC Defensive Player of the Year Jarrett Kersten, but goalkeeping stalwart Paulo Pinto (0.51 GAA) seems poised for an elevated role while no longer platooning with Ethan Dewhurst.
 
A talent-laden senior class gives Cedarville one of the G-MAC’s best chances to make noise in the Midwest Region hoping to qualify for one of the coveted seeds in the NCAA Division II Championship.


 
 
 

NO. 2 ALDERSON BROADDUS BATTLERS  Head Coach: Scott Phipps 2014 Record (Overall): 8-10-1 2014 Record (G-MAC): 5-4-0 2014 All-G-MAC Returners: (Marco Profumo, second team; Deshawn Parker, second team; Ricard Lao, all-freshman team; Luis Velasco, all-freshman team) Key Departures: (Andrea Barbieri, all-freshman team)

2015 Outlook: The rest of the G-MAC thought head coach Scott Phipps and the Battlers are ready to turn the corner and make noise at the top of the league standings following a runner-up billing in the preseason poll.
 
Talented youth is riddled throughout the AB starters, including the G-MAC’s top assist man Marco Profumo and Deshawn Parker. Both are just sophomores along with goalkeeper Ricard Lao and Luis Velasco.
 
Another year of collegiate experience under their belt should help elevate the program to the next level.
 
Defender Nate Kast is one of three West Virginia products on the diverse roster and Kast is part of a five-member senior class. Head coach Scott Phipps will rely on them for leadership in their final year with the program.
 
AB had an aggressive mindset for the non-conference schedule last fall and has similar alignment this season with Charleston (ranked No. 2 to end 2014) and Mercyhurst (ranked No. 9 to end 2014) lined up along with Tiffin and Cal (Pa.).




 
2015 Outlook: The Senators advanced to the 2014 G-MAC Championship final and laid it all on the line with a valiant effort on Cedarville’s home pitch. What may have been a bitter taste left for D&E following that match should translate into fueled motivation heading into a new fall.
 
Davis & Elkins brought back iconic head coach Dr. Greg Myers in the offseason. Myers led D&E to NAIA national titles in 1968 and 1970 as the Senators brought back a marquee leader to keep the program moving forward.
 
NCAA All-American offensive wizard James Pucci has moved on and showcased his tremendous skill set to the Premier Development League (PDL), where he scored seven goals and assisted on five others for FC London in 2015.
 
In just two years (2013-14), Pucci became the G-MAC’s all-time leader in goals, assists, shots and points, along with the averages per game in those categories.
 
Pucci’s offensive production leaves big shoes to fill and with first team all-conference defender Declan McGill also gone, D&E will be looking for increased contributions across the board.
 
Lukas Grosse-Puppendahl netted six goals last year, including two game winners, while senior goalkeeper Daniel Nock accounted for six of the team’s nine wins in net.



 
 

NO. 4 TREVECCA NAZARENE TROJANS Head Coach: Danny Leavy 2014 Record (Overall): 5-10-1 2014 Record (G-MAC): 3-4-1 2014 All-G-MAC Returners: (Jeremiah Wright, first team; Noah Mudd, all-freshman team) Key Departures: (Juan Egas, first team; Braydon Brown, first team; Ryan Walls, second team; Bruno De Moraes, second team)

 
2015 Outlook: The buzz around Trevecca Nazarene soccer in the offseason has been centralized with a new seating area being renovated for the fans.
 
Head coach Danny Leavy brings back a pair of all-conference performers, but also lost as many to graduation. Departed goalkeeper Braydon Brown finished his career as the conference’s all-time leader in saves (175) and was second in shutouts (7).
 
Midfielder Juan Egas had rounded into one of the league’s best playmakers and finished his career with nine career assists.
 
Jeremiah Wright has racked up 16 goals and eight assists in the past two years alone and is a dangerous offensive threat up front. He currently ranks fifth all-time among conference leaders in points with 40.
 
The program is still looking to pick up its first win in the conference tournament, suffering narrow setbacks in the opening rounds of 2012, 2013 and 2014. Last year, TNU was edged in a double-overtime contest and finished the fall with a five-game slide.
 
The Trojans will end the fall of 2015 with five consecutive games at home before presumably qualifying for the conference tournament.
 
 


 

NO. 5 KENTUCKY WESLEYAN PANTHERS Head Coach: John Fusco 2014 Record (Overall): 7-8-3 2014 Record (G-MAC): 3-4-1 2014 All-G-MAC Returners: (Demetrius Carter, second team; Grant Allen, all-freshman team) Key Departures: (Christakis Agisilaou, first team, Gary McMeekin, Travis Foreman)

 
2015 Outlook: Facing a similar situation as Davis & Elkins by losing James Pucci, Kentucky Wesleyan will need to replace standout forward Christakis Agisilaou, who signed a professional contract with Harnosands FF Club in Sweden.
 
In just two seasons with KWC in the G-MAC, Agisilaou established himself second in the young conference in career points. He tied for the league lead in goals last fall with Cedarville’s Connor Gilmour (14).
 
Head coach John Fusco and the Panthers have a chance to make a statement vs. the GLVC in regional, non-conference games against Southern Indiana and Bellarmine again this fall.
 
The defense is anchored by junior Demetrius Carter, who started all possible 18 games and logged a team-high 1,430 minutes. Junior Kurtis Roberts had two goals and seven assists last year.
 
The Panthers received five goals apiece from Gary McMeekin and Travis Foreman, but neither are back in the mix for 2015. Freshman goalkeeper Grant Allen started 14 of 15 games played last year and finished with five wins and three shutouts.




 

NO. 6 SALEM INTERNATIONAL TIGERS Head Coach: Florin Marton 2014 Record (Overall): 10-9-1 2014 Record (G-MAC): 4-4-1 2014 All-G-MAC Returners: (Javier Ruiz Paz, second team) Key Departures: (Michael Brunton, first team; Tomas Szabo, first team)

 
2015 Outlook: Under the direction of head coach Florin Marton, the Tigers pulled an upset in the opening round of the conference tournament to shake things up in the postseason.
 
Marton has a host of new faces to the program this fall and a pair of first-team all-conference performers to replace.
 
Gearing up for the regular season included a more-than-respectable exhibition showing for SIU against Division I Marshall in Huntington. The final score was just 2-0 and SIU almost matched Marshall in every statistical category.
 
Goalkeeper Elliot Cook was consistent in net for SIU and all-conference midfielder Javier Ruiz Paz provides senior leadership with Cook.
 
Salem International will look to acclimate a class of 11 freshmen on the active roster to the collegiate level. The 2015 roster features three seniors and a wealth of underclassmen, including nine more sophomores.
 
Similar to Trevecca Nazarene, SIU’s home pitch of Catalano Stadium has been undergoing a facelift with the addition of new turf. The facility upgrade will be ready for SIU’s men’s and women’s home openers.
 



 

NO. 7 OHIO VALLEY FIGHTING SCOTS Head Coach: Luis Rincon 2014 Record (Overall): 0-17-0 2014 Record (G-MAC): 0-9-0 2014 All-G-MAC Returners: N/A Key Departures: (Christian Breaux, Michael Ivy, Kevin Rivera)

 
2015 Outlook: A new era is officially underway in Vienna with the introduction of Luis Rincon as new head coach in the offseason. Rincon will look to right the ship for OVU, which experienced frustrating struggles throughout the fall of 2014.
 
Rincon will have the chance to adjust personnel accordingly and import his own recruited talent. Only one senior remains on the roster and OVU will miss its top three scorers from a year ago.
 
Two of OVU’s early non-conference opponents will be future G-MAC members, Malone and Ohio Dominican.
 
The Fighting Scots will incorporate a total of 13 new incomers on the roster, infusing the program with fresh talent for this season and beyond. Rincon will have a chance to introduce his system after coming to OVU from Texas A&M International.
 
Rincon will try to generate some offense for the Fighting Scots and OVU will be hunting for its first win since late October of 2013 vs. Pitt-Johnstown.