A-R-C Releases Preseason Men's Soccer Poll
Aug 13, 2019
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – After missing the conference tournament for the first time in 12 seasons in 2018, the University of Dubuque men’s soccer team will look to have a bounce back season in 2019 as the American Rivers Conference coaches have picked them seventh in the conference preseason poll.
Out of the three All-Conference selections for the Spartans in 2018, UD returns two of them in juniors Dominik Chece (Woodstock, Ill./Prairie Ridge) and Joshua Merkel (Streamwood, Ill./Bartlett).
Dominik Cheche led the Spartan attack in 2018 with a team-high four goals on 34 shots. Chece started 12 of the 15 games that he played in, going one for one on penalty kicks and recording one game winning goal for UD. He was also 10th in the A-R-C with an average of 2.27 shots per game.
During his sophomore season, Merkel started all 16 games and helped limit opponents to 1.44 goals per game and a shooting percentage of .111.
Brandon White (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) has been a mainstay in the goal over the past two years for the Spartans, starting 28 games over 32 appearances.
The Spartans return nine starters in total and kick off the season with an exhibition game at home against Augustana College on August 24th at 1 p.m. The regular season gets underway on August 30th at 7:30 p.m. when they host Carroll College.
Rank School Points 2018 Record
1. Loras (5) 60 13-6-0, 7-1-0 A-R-C (Regular Season Champion)
2. Luther (4) 59 19-4-1, 6-1-1 A-R-C (Tournament Champion)
3. Wartburg 48 9-7-3, 5-2-1 A-R-C
4. Simpson 43 11-6-2, 5-2- A-R-C
5. Central 36 9-9, 5-3 A-R-C
6. NWU 29 8-8-1, 3-5 A-R-C
7. Dubuque 26 4-12, 2-6 A-R-C
8. Coe 12 0-14-1, 0-8 A-R-C
9. Buena Vista 11 1-16-1, 1-6-1 A-R-C
