DALLAS – Marshall, the 2019 Conference USA Men's Soccer Champion, has been selected as the spring 2021 preseason favorite by the league's head coaches. Marshall redshirt sophomore forward
Milo Yosef was picked as the C-USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Charlotte redshirt senior defender
Patrick Hogan was tabbed as the league's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
In 2019, the Herd won both the league's regular season title and the C-USA Championship as Marshall held off Charlotte by one point for the regular season crown and then beat the 49ers 1-0 in two overtimes in the C-USA Championship match. Marshall finished No. 11 in the final United Soccer Coaches poll with a 16-3-3 overall record that included a run to the third round of the NCAA Championship.
Marshall was one of three C-USA schools to participate in the NCAA tournament as Kentucky (13-5-3 overall) and Charlotte (12-4-4 overall) each received at-large bids and advanced to the second round. Charlotte was No. 21 and Kentucky was No. 23 in the final United Soccer Coaches poll, while FIU (10-3-5 overall) received votes in the final poll.
As a redshirt freshman in 2019, Yosef collected several honors as he was a United Soccer Coaches All-America second team choice, Conference USA's Offensive MVP, Freshman of the Year, first team All-Conference USA and a member of the league's All-Freshman Team. He played in all 22 matches (21 starts) and led C-USA in goals (12), goals per game (0.55), game-winning goals (5), points (27), shots (58) and shots per game (2.64). The Aachen, Germany native posted three multi-goal games and tallied at least one goal in nine matches, including one in Marshall's NCAA second-round victory over West Virginia. Yosef was selected as the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week twice.
As a redshirt junior in 2019, Hogan was a first-team All-Conference USA selection, a second-team United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region choice and a member of the C-USA All-Tournament team. He anchored a 49ers defense that led C-USA in goals allowed (14) and was seventh in the nation with a league-best 0.66 goals against average behind eight shutouts. Hogan, who played in 19 matches, was also an offensive threat as he was second on the team with four goals, including two game-winning tallies and a goal in the 49ers' NCAA first-round victory over Mercer. The Charlotte native was selected as the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week once.
The league’s spring 2021 season kicks off Wednesday, Feb. 3.
Spring 2021 C-USA Men's Soccer Preseason Team
Joe Brito, Charlotte, Sr., MF
Patrick Hogan, Charlotte, RS-Sr., D
Luke Johnson, Charlotte, Sr., D
Alessandro Campoy, FIU, RS-Sr., MF
Alonso Coello Camarero, Florida Atlantic, Jr., MF
Ivan Mykhailenko, Florida Atlantic, Sr., F
Enrique Facusse, Kentucky, Sr., GK
Marcel Meinzer, Kentucky, Jr., MF
Pedro Dolabella, Marshall, Sr., MF
Jan-Erik Leinhos, Marshall, Jr., RB
Milo Yosef, Marshall, RS-So., F
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Milo Yosef, Marshall, RS-So., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Patrick Hogan, Charlotte, RS-Sr., D
Spring 2021 C-USA Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Marshall
2. Kentucky
3. Charlotte
4. FIU
5. Florida Atlantic
6. South Carolina
7. UAB
8. Old Dominion