USI tabbed third in GLVC preseason poll

The University of Southern Indiana men’s soccer team is projected to place third in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2017 in a vote by the league’s 15 head coaches. USI, the all-time leader with 10 GLVC titles, is coming off a tie for third in the league tournament and a tie for second in the conference’s regular season in 2016 after posting a 13-4-4 overall mark, 10-2-3 GLVC.

The predicted third place finish and 153 points is the highest by the Screaming Eagles since a preseason fourth in 2003.

The Rockhurst University men’s soccer team was tabbed by the league coaches to win the 2017 Championship for a second-straight year.  The Hawks received 14 first-place votes and 196 points in the preseason poll. The University of Indianapolis garnered second with 169 point, while Missouri University of Science & Technology picked up the final first place vote and was fourth with 150 points. Drury University rounded out the top five with 143 points.

The 2017 USI squad is comprised of 33 players – 24 returning players and redshirts and nine newcomers. The Eagles have nine seniors on the team this season, compared to one a year ago.

The top returning scorer for USI is sophomore forward Eric Ramirez, who set a USI freshman scoring record and was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year with 21 points on 10 goals and one assist in 15 matches. Ramirez, who missed six matches due to injury last year, also tied for first with three game-winning goals.

Tying for second on the team in scoring was senior midfielder Kyle Richardville and sophomore midfielder Sean Rickey with 19 points each. Richardville, who tied Ramirez with three game-winning goals, posted his 19 points on seven goals and five assists, while Rickey made his collegiate debut with 19 points on six goals and a team-high seven assists.

On the defensive side of the field, the Eagles bring back All-GLVC and All-Midwest Region goalkeeper senior Adam Zehme. Zehme posted career-highs in wins (13), saves (74) and shutouts (7) last fall and had a .763 save percentage and 1.04 goals against average.

The 15 GLVC men’s soccer teams will compete in a 14-game round-robin schedule during the regular season with the top eight teams earning a berth to the GLVC Championship Tournament. The top four seeds will host quarterfinal matches on campus on October 29 with the four remaining teams heading to Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana for the semifinals and final on November 3 and 5.

USI opens the 2017 regular season campaign at home when the Eagles host Kentucky Wesleyan College August 31 for a 7 p.m. showdown of Midwest Region teams.