In the eyes of others, the Simon Fraser University men’s soccer team is the team to beat entering the 2017 Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
Coming off a second conference title in four years, the Clan stands as unanimous favorites to repeat as GNAC champions in the 2017 Preseason Men’s Soccer Coaches Poll. SFU received all seven first-place votes, while Western Washington was selected second with 39 points.
They’ll be shooting for their sixth conference title in eighth seasons as GNAC members.
They led all teams in goals, assists and fewest goals allowed in conference play in 2016. Finishing with a 9-1-2 GNAC record, Simon Fraser outshot opponents by a 291-126 margin and scored 2.36 goals per game, 1.77 higher than the league average. Their only regular season loss was a 1-0 setback at Western Washington on Nov. 3.
Despite losing netminder Brandon Watson, who ranks second in GNAC history with a 0.75 goals against average, the Clan return some significant pieces for 2017, including the GNAC and Div. 2 West Region player of the year Adam Jones and GNAC defensive player of the year Magnus Kristensen.
Currently seventh on the career list with 1.46 goals per game, Jones notched a team-high 10 goals for a squad that outscored its conference rivals 33-9. Kristensen chipped in with three goals.
Midfielder Mamadi Camara returns after receiving first team All-GNAC and All-West Region honours. GNAC freshman of the year Riley Pang is joined by junior
midfielder Kyle Jones and senior defender Pascal Schmidt on a team that lost six starters to graduation and held a league-leading 0.75 goals against percentage.
The roster also includes two Burnaby sophomores, midfielders Stefan Cuk and Rahid Raheim.
Cuk was a key member of the 2014 under-18 Canadian national club champions, and was groomed through the Vancouver Whitecaps youth and national training centre. A Cariboo Hill grad, Raheim spent four years in the Whitecaps Residency program.
The Clan continue the preseason tomorrow (Aug. 19) in Abbotsford against University of the Fraser Valley.
The season starts Aug. 31 when SFU hosts University of Mary.
