The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Tabbed to Win BIG EAST Midwest Division as Zips Duo Earns Preseason Accolades
August 19 | Men's Soccer
2024 BIG EAST MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
NEW YORK – The BIG EAST Conference announced the 2024 Preseason Coaches' Poll and all-conference awards on Monday as Akron was selected by the league's men's soccer coaches to finish as the top team in the Midwest Division, while No. 11 Georgetown was tabbed to win the East Division.
Over an eight-match conference season, the team with the highest overall conference points will secure the No. 1 seed, while the team in the opposite division with the highest conference point total will secure the No. 2 seed. The remaining six seeds, regardless of division, will be determined by conference points. Quarterfinal action will get underway on Saturday, Nov. 9, with the top four seeds hosting matches.
Georgetown, the 2023 BIG EAST championship runner-up, topped the East Division preseason poll with 66 points while earning 11 first-place votes. Providence followed suit with 55 points and the remaining first-place vote. St John's (42), Connecticut (38), Seton Hall (28) and Villanova (17) rounded out the tabulations in the East Division. In the Midwest Division, Akron led the way with 62 points and seven first-place votes. Just six points apart and receiving four first-place votes, Xavier (56 points) was followed by Creighton (50), Butler (35), Marquette (25) and DePaul (18).
Butler's Palmer Ault was voted BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Georgetown's Maximus Jennings garnered the preseason Defensive Player of the Year award and Providence's Lukas Burns earned the preseason accolade of Goalkeeper of the Year.
A total of 12 student-athletes were named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, including Akron senior Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) and Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario).
All-BIG EAST honors and preseason polls were decided by a vote of the league's head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own team or players. The 2024 season gets underway on Thursday, Aug. 22. Conference action begins Friday, Sept. 20.
NEW YORK – The BIG EAST Conference announced the 2024 Preseason Coaches' Poll and all-conference awards on Monday as Akron was selected by the league's men's soccer coaches to finish as the top team in the Midwest Division, while No. 11 Georgetown was tabbed to win the East Division.
Over an eight-match conference season, the team with the highest overall conference points will secure the No. 1 seed, while the team in the opposite division with the highest conference point total will secure the No. 2 seed. The remaining six seeds, regardless of division, will be determined by conference points. Quarterfinal action will get underway on Saturday, Nov. 9, with the top four seeds hosting matches.
Georgetown, the 2023 BIG EAST championship runner-up, topped the East Division preseason poll with 66 points while earning 11 first-place votes. Providence followed suit with 55 points and the remaining first-place vote. St John's (42), Connecticut (38), Seton Hall (28) and Villanova (17) rounded out the tabulations in the East Division. In the Midwest Division, Akron led the way with 62 points and seven first-place votes. Just six points apart and receiving four first-place votes, Xavier (56 points) was followed by Creighton (50), Butler (35), Marquette (25) and DePaul (18).
Butler's Palmer Ault was voted BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Georgetown's Maximus Jennings garnered the preseason Defensive Player of the Year award and Providence's Lukas Burns earned the preseason accolade of Goalkeeper of the Year.
A total of 12 student-athletes were named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, including Akron senior Jonas Buechte (Rantigen, Germany) and Malik Henry (Hamilton, Ontario).
All-BIG EAST honors and preseason polls were decided by a vote of the league's head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own team or players. The 2024 season gets underway on Thursday, Aug. 22. Conference action begins Friday, Sept. 20.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Soccer
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