Tulsa Chosen C-USA Men's Soccer Preseason Favorite
Aug. 18, 2008
2008 Preseason Men's Soccer Team
IRVING, Texas - Defending C-USA champion Tulsa has been selected by the league's coaches as the preseason favorite to be the Conference USA Men's Soccer Champion in 2008. Florida International junior forward Juan Guerra and Kentucky’s Barry Rice, a junior defender, were named the Preseason C-USA Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. The Golden Hurricane is coming off its first C-USA title and fourth NCAA Men's Soccer Championship appearance. Tulsa earned a school-best No. 6 national ranking by Soccer America and tallied a program-leading 15 wins in 2007. The 2008 squad returns 15 letterwinners and six starters, including Eric DeFreitas, Jose Parada, and Chris Clements who were each named to the preseason all-league team. DeFreitas tallied eight goals, five of which were game-winners and eight assists for a team-best 24 points as a junior. Parada started 12 of 16 games as a sophomore, registering six goals and four assists for 16 points. Clements registered two goals from his defender position and helped TU tally eight shutouts last year. SMU was picked second in the coaches' preseason vote. The Mustangs, who won regular season league titles in both 2005 and 2006, advanced to the second round of the 2007 NCAA Championship. Senior defender Ryan Mirsky will lead the Mustangs in 2008 and was selected to represent SMU on the preseason all-conference squad. The Texas native started 20 games last season and registered six points. Affiliate league member South Carolina was chosen third by the coaches and had two student-athletes chosen to the all-league team. Goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer, the reigning C-USA Freshman of the Year, was named to the team along with junior midfielder Jeff Scanella. Maurer was third in the league in save percentage, saves and shutouts while taking home the top freshman honor, as well as collecting All-Conference USA second team honors. Scanella tallied 17 points and scored seven goals for the Gamecocks in 2007. Kentucky was selected fourth and, along with 2007 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Rice, was represented on the preseason all-league team by senior midfielder Masumi Turnbull. In addition to his defensive prowess, Rice led the Wildcats in scoring with 15 points last season. He scored five goals and was credited with an assist against C-USA opposition. Turnbull ranked third in the league last season in both assists and assists per game. Memphis was picked to finish fifth and will be led preseason all-league pick Michal Coburn. Coburn is the lone Tiger remaining from Memphis' 2004 Conference USA championship team and the senior defender scored two goals and notched three assists for the program in 2007. Guerra, a junior forward, was a 2007 All-C-USA first-team member after tying for second in the league with eight goals and notching 17 points. Guerra was also an all-tournament selection as the Golden Panthers advanced to the finals of the 2007 C-USA Championship. UCF senior forward Ryan Roushandel rounds out the 2008 preseason team as he led the Knights last season with eight goals and 17 points, including three game-winning goals. The top eight teams at the conclusion of the regular season earn a spot in the 2008 Conference USA Championship, hosted by SMU, on November 12-16 in Dallas, Texas. The league's 14th season kicks off Friday, August 29. 2008 C-USA MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON AWARDS 2008 C-USA PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2008 C-USA PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2008 PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE USA TEAM
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