Eastern Connecticut Named Men's Soccer Preseason Favorite
NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Eastern
Connecticut State University has been chosen as the Little East
men's soccer preseason favorite for the fifth consecutive campaign,
according to the 2012 preseason coaches' poll. The Warriors are
projected to sit atop the regular-season standings after earning
five first place votes and 61 total points.
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has been selected to
finish second in the Little East race, edging Keene State College
by just a single vote. The Corsairs earned one first place marker
and 62 total points, while the Owls received the remaining two
first place tallies.
Eastern Connecticut captured the program's second outright
regular-season championship in 2011, while sharing the title in
2009. Last season, Greg DeVito guided the Warriors to an overall
record of 15-6-1, marking the fifth consecutive campaign with at
least 10 victories. Eastern Connecticut protected its home field
advantage in the Little East Championship, defeating UMass
Dartmouth (4-0) and Keene State College (1-0) to raise the
conference trophy for the third time in program history. The
Warriors made their fourth appearance in the past five seasons in
the NCAA Division III Championship. DeVito and his charges advanced
to the second round of the national tournament for the second
straight season with a win against Springfield College before
falling at fourth-ranked Amherst College.
Eastern Connecticut will welcome eight starters and a total of 16
student-athletes back into the fold from the 2011 squad. The
Warriors will feature an explosive offensive attack with the return
of their top-six scorers. Senior striker Matt Furman (Montville,
Conn.), a 2011 All-Little East first-team selection, is expected to
provide the offense spark for Eastern. In 2011, he ranked among the
conference leaders in game-winning goals (2nd, 4), goals (4th, 9),
and points (4th, 22). Furman and the Warriors open their 2012
schedule at noon on Sept. 1, when Eastern Connecticut travels to
Western New England.
UMass Dartmouth is making its highest appearance in the Little East
men's soccer preseason coaches' survey since 2002, when the
Corsairs shared the No. 2 ranking. In 2011, Henry Almeida led UMass
Dartmouth to an overall mark of 11-7-1, including a 4-2-1 record in
the conference circuit. The Corsairs were the lone squad in the
Little East to hand Eastern Connecticut a regular-season loss,
defeating the Warriors in the season finale 1-0. UMass Dartmouth
earned the fourth seed in the Little East Championship, but fell at
top-seeded Eastern Connecticut.
In 2012, Almeida will return a total of 16 student-athletes,
including 11 starters. The Corsairs welcome back three
student-athletes that produced at least 20 points last fall, led by
freshman forward Nick Gontijo (Hudson, Mass.). The 2011 Little East
Rookie of the Year and first-team selection paced UMass Dartmouth
in game-winning goals (3), goals (10), and points (24), while
ranking third in assists (4). The Corsairs will begin their 2012
slate at the Southern Maine Soccer Classic at 4 p.m. on August 31,
when UMass Dartmouth squares off against the Coast Guard
Academy.
The top-four teams in the final regular-season standings advance to
the 2012 Little East Men's Soccer Championship with the top-two
teams hosting semifinal round action on Wednesday, Oct. 31. The two
semifinal winners will meet at the highest remaining seed on Nov. 3
in the championship match. The conference champion will earn the
automatic qualifier into the 2012 NCAA Division III
Championship.
Completing the annual preseason coaches' survey in projected order
of finish in the regular season standings are Rhode Island College
(38), University of Massachusetts Boston (34), Plymouth State
University (24), Western Connecticut State University (15), and
University of Southern Maine (13).
Formed in 1986, the Little East serves as New England's premier
athletic conference for public institutions in NCAA Division III.
Featuring 19 championship sports, the Little East sponsors quality
competition in every season for our student athletes. Our eight
state colleges and universities dedicate themselves to an ongoing
fulfillment of the Division III mission of passion, responsibility,
sportsmanship, and citizenship.
| 2012 Little East Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll | |||
| Rank | Institution | First Place | Total Points |
| 1 | Eastern Connecticut State University | 5 | 61 |
| 2 | University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | 1 | 52 |
| 3 | Keene State College | 2 | 51 |
| 4 | Rhode Island College | 38 | |
| 5 | University of Massachusetts Boston | 34 | |
| 6 | Plymouth State University | 24 | |
| 7 | Western Connecticut State University | 15 | |
| 8 | University of Southern Maine | 13 | |