2018 Conference Carolinas Men's Soccer Preview and Players to Watch

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HIGH POINT, N.C. – The 2018 Conference Carolinas Men's Soccer preseason poll has been released. Limestone College will enter the season as the favorite to win the Conference Carolinas Men's Soccer Championship, according to Conference Carolinas coaches.

 

1. Limestone College: The Saints, who were preseason ranked No. 14 in the United Soccer Coaches poll, earned 98 points with nine first-place votes from Conference coaches.

Limestone finished 2017 ranked No. 15 in the nation after going 15-3-2 overall and 9-0-1 in conference play. The Saints completed the season sweep of Conference Carolinas regular and tournament titles last season, while also punching a ticket to the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship for a fifth consecutive season.

Limestone has three United Soccer Coaches All-Region picks returning in Dominic Boland, Ruairi Croskery and Jamie Smith to help pace the team. Also back in the fold for the Saints is all-conference selection Luca Thuyl and all-tournament picks Kristian Moore-Cowell and Roberto Ortega Lopez.

Limestone will have a target on its back in 2018 with teams like Chowan and Lees-McRae on the rise. However, the Saints are a traditional conference power that know how to meet the challenge.

Players to Watch:

  • *Dominic Boland (Sr.) - Defender
  • *Ruairi Croskery (Jr.) - Forward
  • *Jamie Smith (So.) - Defender

 

t2. Chowan University: The Hawks enter their second season as an associate member tied for second place after collecting 83 points and one first-place vote. Chowan went 5-3-2 in league play and 11-5-2 overall in 2017.

Chowan made quite the impact in its first season in the league last year, as it turned in a 2-0-1 record against the teams that make up the top four in the 2018 preseason poll. That play earned the Hawks the No. 4 seed in last season's conference tourney.

With two all-conference picks back in Toby Sims and Lee Wattam, Chowan has a legitimate chance to build on the success from a season ago and capture a title.

Players to Watch:

  • Elliot Chadderton (Sr.) - Goalkeeper
  • *Toby Sims (So.) - Defender
  • *Lee Wattam (Sr.) - Forward

 

t2.  Lees-McRae College: The Bobcats enter the year projected tied for second after earning 83 points. Lees-McRae finished 2017 second in the Conference Carolinas standings with a 7-3-0 record, while turning in an 11-5-3 overall record.

It's truly no surprise that Lees-McRae begins the year as one of the conference favorites. The Bobcats ranked as high as No. 12 in the nation after getting off to a 6-0-1 start last season.

The squad was known for its offensive fire power and that has a lot to do with all-conference returnees Harvey McMorrow, Johannes Oeksnevad and Pol Vassart. Barring any skids during the season, 2018 could be a another season to remember for the Bobcats.

Players to Watch:

  • *Harvey McMorrow (Jr.) - Midfielder
  • *Johannes Oeksnevad (So.) - Forward
  • *Pol Vassart (Sr.) - Forward

 

4.  Belmont Abbey College: The Crusaders enter the season in fourth after nabbing 80 points and one first-place vote. Belmont Abbey posted a 9-6-1 overall record and 6-3-1 league mark in 2017.

The Crusaders have two all-conference picks coming back in midfielders Nando Morales and Mark Trompeter, who should be a fun duo to watch in the midfield. While projected fourth, The Abbey is definitely a contender in the Conference Carolinas race since taking a leap over the last few years.

Players to Watch:

  • Aaron Madison (So.) - Forward
  • *Nando Morales (Sr.) - Midfielder
  • *Mark Trompeter (Sr.) - Midfielder

 

5. University of Mount Olive: The Trojans captured 60 points to open the 2018 season. Mount Olive turned in a 4-4-2 conference record and 10-7-2 overall in 2017.

The Trojans are coming off a runner-up finish in last year's Men's Soccer Championship and return all-tournament pick MacLayne Garriet to lead the 2018 squad. While it's a new season, UMO should feel confident as they beat three of the four teams ranked ahead of them at least once in 2017.

Players to Watch:

  • MacLayne Garriet (Jr.) - Defender
  • Travis Jones (Sr.) - Midfielder
  • Alfie Pope (Fr.) - Forward

 

6. Southern Wesleyan University: The Warriors collected 57 points and narrowly sit in sixth to start the year. The Warriors turned in a 6-10-4 overall mark and 4-3-3 league record in 2017.

Southern Wesleyan's league record a season ago shows the competitive nature of the Conference top to bottom. The Warriors were able to post a 2-2-1 record against the teams ranked ahead of them in this poll, while going 2-1-2 against everyone else.

If SWU wants to take the leap to true title contention in 2018, a pair of returning all-conference selections in Grant Kiker and Miguel Uribe will have to lead the charge. Kiker posted 15 points (7g, 1a) to lead the Warrior offense, while Uribe was a brick wall between the pipes with a league-best 126 saves.

Players to Watch:

  • Marshall Ball (So.) - Defender
  • *Grant Kiker (So.) - Forward
  • *Miguel Uribe (Sr.) - Goalkeeper

 

7. Emmanuel College: The Lions make their preseason poll debut in seventh-place with 40 points from Conference coaches. Emmanuel posted a 4-4-2 conference record while going 6-7-3 overall.

The Lions will be postseason eligible in 2018 and if they can duplicate their conference record from last season they will be in the tourney field by season's end. 

Players to Watch:

  • Channing Park (Sr.) - Midfielder
  • Craig Russell (Sr.) - Midfielder
  • Blair Springhall (Sr.) - Midfielder

 

8. Erskine College: The Fleet picked up 30 points and enter 2018 sitting in eighth. Erskine finished 3-5-2 in the Conference standings last year while going 5-11-2 overall.

Players to Watch:

  • Vicente Belloso (So.) - Defender
  • Alex Mushata (So.) - Midfielder
  • Dario Pavon (So.) - Midfielder

 

9. Barton College: The Bulldogs narrowly sit in ninth-place after collecting 29 points from Conference coaches. Barton went 5-12-1 overall in 2017, which included a 1-8-1 conference record.

The Bulldogs finished at the bottom of the Conference table last season, but will be looking to rebound in 2018. To do so, Barton will need all-conference picks Tolly Beatson and Pol Monells to continue their caliber of play in the midfield and up top, respectively.

Players to Watch:

  • Javier Alcarria (Sr.) - Midfielder
  • *Tolly Beatson (Sr.) - Midfielder
  • *Pol Monells (So.) - Forward

 

10. North Greenville University: The Crusaders are preseason ranked 10th after posting 26 points. North Greenville went 3-6-1 in Conference Carolinas action and 5-10-1 overall in 2017.

Players to Watch:

  • Gareth Greene (So.) - Midfielder
  • Ope Olaloko (So.) - Forward

 

11.  King University: The Tornado close out the 2018 poll with 19 points. King went 1-8-1 in league action and 5-9-2 overall in 2017.

Players to Watch:

  • Jairo Ruiz Caram (Jr.) - Midfielder
  • Ben Delisle (So.) - Midfielder
  • Carlos Saavedra (Sr.) - Defender


*denotes 2017 All-Conference Carolinas selection

 

2018 Men's Soccer Preseason Poll

School (first-place votes) Total
1. Limestone (9) 98
t2. Chowan (1) 83 
t2. Lees-McRae 83 
4. Belmont Abbey (1) 80 
5. Mount Olive 60 
6. Southern Wesleyan 57 
7. Emmanuel 40 
8. Erskine 30 
9. Barton 29 
10. North Greenville 26 
11. King 19 

 

Conference Carolinas is a NCAA Division II athletics conference made up of 11 teams from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. These institutions consist of: Barton College, Belmont Abbey College, Converse College, Emmanuel College, Erskine College, King University, Lees-McRae College, Limestone College, University of Mount Olive, North Greenville University, and Southern Wesleyan University.