United East Men's Soccer 2021 Preview
LATHAM, N.Y. - With last season missed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United East men's soccer teams are set to compete in a full 2021 schedule. There are a few new factors, including the new "United East" conference moniker as well as the addition of St. Mary's College of Maryland to the league.
Each of the nine men's soccer programs will compete in eight conference games with the United East Championship Semifinals coming on Friday, November 5th and the Finals the following day.
Check out how each of the squads stack up here:
Wells College
Head Coach: Jim McIntyre, (3rd season)
2019 Record: 5-13
Key Returners/Players to Watch: Justin Butler (Sr.-M) (35GP - 34 GS - 5 G - 6 A), Jimmy Stover (Sr.-D) (29 GP - 16 GS - 0 G - 0 A), Colton Jaquith (Sr.-GK) (28 GP - 27 GS - 165 S - 2.32 GAA - .721 Save% - 1 SO), Zaki Javed (Fy-M), Roman Martinez (Fy-M)
Key Losses: Peraskeva Tegas, Defense; Dagoberto Guido, Midfield; Junger Vargas, Forward (3X All-NEAC)
Coach's Season Outlook: "As a group we are excited to be back playing. We may not have the numbers I would like, but we have a group that is willing to work hard for each other. If we can staff healthy, we can be competitive in the United East."
Gallaudet University
Interim Head Coach: Jay Shaw (1st season)
2019 Record: 2-14-1
Key Returners/Players to Watch: Raymond Mukhailov (Sr., F) - 5 goals, 10 points, Brian Espanto (Jr., M) - 1 goal, 3 assists, 5 points, Shane Angel (Jr., GK) - 17 starts, 133 saves, 2-14-1 record, AJ Markel (Jr., D) - 15 games played, 1 assist, 1 point
Key Losses: Chad Johnson, Forward; Donald Ognane, Forward; Elan Markel, Defense; Sean O'Callaghan, Defense
Coach's Season Outlook: "Out of many, one team."
Lancaster Bible College
Head Coach: Tom Ardt (11th Season)
2019 Record: 14-5-3
2019 Postseason: United East Semi-finals (Penn St. Harrisburg 0-0, 4-3 on PKs)
Key Returners/Players to Watch: Chad Tolson (GR, F) - 22 GP, 21 GS, 7 G, 6 A; Caleb Nelson (Sr, D) - 19 GP, 8 GS, 6 G, 1 A; Nathan Muckle 2nd Team All-Conference; Chad Tolson 2nd Team All-Conference; Kedric Yoder 3rd Team All-Conference
Key Losses: Rama Mugisha, Joel Hughes
Coach's Season Outlook: "We are excited to get back on the field after not getting to play in 2020. We have a great blend of experience and youth that will help the program reach the goals we have set for ourselves in 2021. We are prepared and we are ready to get started."
Penn College
Head Coach: Tyler Mensch (7th Season)
2019 Record: 3-13-3
Key Returner/Player to Watch: Chris McFarland (SR, CM) 57 GP, 55 GS, 6 G, 12 A, 2nd Team NEAC in 2017 and 2018; Colton Wartman (SR, Wing) 37 GP, 35 GS, 11 G, 7 A…3rd Team NEAC in 2018; Daniel Jackson (SR, Wing) 36 GP, 22 GS, 3 G, 0 A
Key Losses: Kevin McFarland, Matt Voland, Derek Eckman
Coach's Season Outlook: "We are looking forward to being back out on the field for the first time in a competitive atmosphere since November of 2019. 2019 was a down year for the squad and despite having a very young and inexperienced team in terms of guys who have college ball experience they are hungry and working hard to hopefully put themselves back into the playoff conversation. We will rely on our uppers with the playing experience to guide our young guys and get them prepared for what will be a challenging United East Conference. We are also hopeful that our non-conference schedule will prep us for a run at an UEC playoff berth."
Penn State Abington
Head Coach: Pat Morris (1st Season)
2019 Record: 10-7
2019 Postseason: Lost to Keuka College in NEAC Tournament
Key Returner/Player to Watch: Alec Howser (Sr, CB) - GP 14- GS 14, G-1, A-0; Mike Thomas (So, M) - GP 17- GS 12, G-1, A-1
Key Losses: Jose Palomeque, Hernando Villamil, Sebastin Krysztofowicz, Edward Worthington, Michael Albers
Coach's Season Outlook: "I am very excited about the upcoming season. We are going to be very young team but we have a lot of talented players that are hungry to make their mark on the college game."
Penn State Berks
Head Coach: Adrian Munteanu (9th Season)
2019 Record: 5-10-3
Key Returner/Player to Watch: Jose Aparicio (Sr, GK) - 13 GP, 5 GS, 37 Saves, 2.02 GAA, .685 Save%; Ash Deery (Jr D) - 15 GP, 15 GS; Shane Gleason (Fr, f); Jonathan Morello (So, F); Mark Pirrone (So, D); Owen VanDyke (Fr, M)
Key Losses: Brenden Valverde, Ayden Lee, Nate Nguyen, Jakob Fischer
Coach's Season Outlook: "We are pretty much a completely new team since 2019, with just three returners from that squad. There are some key losses from that team, but we a very strong group of incoming players and are excited to get into season. We will be tested with strong non-conference matches early in the season to prepare us for when conference play rolls around. The goal is to qualify for the postseason and make a run at the conference crown."
Penn State Harrisburg
Head Coach: Daniel J. Krzyzanowicz (6th season)
2019 Record: 15-6-1
2019 Postseason: NCAA Tournament, NEAC Champions
Key Returners/Players to Watch: Shammah Gahomera (Sr., M) - 22 GP, 20 GS, 3 G, 5 A, 11 PTS, USC All-Region Third Team, All-ECAC First Team, NEAC Defensive Player of the Year, NEAC All-Conference First Team; Joey Aman (Sr., F) - 21 GP, 16 GS, 12 G, 3 A, 27 PTS, All-ECAC Second Team, NEAC All-Conference First Team; Nick Guglielmetti (Sr., GK) - 22 GP, 20 GS, 54 SV, 0.75 GAA, .771 SV%, 12 SO, All-ECAC Second Team, NEAC All-Conference First Team; Luke Myers (Jr., M) - 22 GP, 16 GS, 1 G, 4 A, 6 PTS, NEAC All-Conference Second Team; Jared Brewer (Sr., D) - 21 GP, 17 GS, 1 G, 2 PTS, NEAC All-Conference Second Team
Key Losses: Mason Jones, Jacob Krantweiss, Toma Nichik
Season Outlook: "Penn State Harrisburg will look to defend its 2019 conference championship this fall. After winning the conference title in an overtime thriller, the Lions came within one goal of advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and will try to earn another crack at making noise in the big dance this season. The Blue & White return eight starters from the 2019 squad, including five all-conference honorees. The Lions will be tested in non-conference play, with games against nationally-ranked Messiah and Franklin & Marshall highlighting the early portion of this year's slate."
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Head Coach: Alun Oliver (11th Season)
2019 Record: 12-6-2 (5-4-1 CAC)
2019 Postseason: CAC Tournament Semifinal
Key Returners/Players to watch: Roshawn Panton (Sr., F) - 18 GP/18 GS, 10 G, 2 A, All-Mid-Atlantic Region Second Team, All-CAC First Team; Isaac Ekobo (Sr., F) - 18 GP/2 GS, 3 G, 2 A; Jacob Breslauer, (Sr., D) - 17 GP/14 GS, 2 G, 4 A
Key Losses: Khalid Balogun ('20, F), Josh McRobie ('20, F), Anoi Hindle ('20, M), Andrew Kalinoski ('20, D), Patrick Paolini ('20, GK)
Coach's Season Outlook: "We are really excited to get the season underway. We have a tough out-of-conference schedule this fall, in the hopes that it will prepare us for our very challenging conference games."
SUNY Morrisville
Head Coach: Geoff Moore (2nd season at Morrisville, 6th overall)
2019 Record: 3-12-3
Key Returners/Players to Watch: Daniel Sparkowski (Sr., D) - 18 GP, 18 GS, 0 G, 1 A) 2X All-Conference honoree at defense; Chandley Elie (Jr., F) - 16 GP, 14 GS, 3 G, 1 A; Cody Welkley (Sr., GK) - 13 GP, 11 GS, 107 svs., 1.40 GAA, .790 Save %, 2 SO
Key Losses: None
Coach's Season Outlook: "With some key returning starters from the 2019 season, combined with a strong recruiting class, Morrisville looks to move forward through a new conference lineup and non-conference schedule."
