Men's Soccer Picked Third by IIAC Coaches in Preseason Poll

Aug 26, 2016

johnson_brad_2016

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Loras Men's Soccer, winners of 18 straight Iowa Conference games and four straight titles, are the coaches choice to win the 2016 IIAC Men's Soccer championship. Loras was chosen first on six ballots and earned 61 points to take the No. 1 ranking in the Coaches Preseason Poll. 

Loras' 61 points come from six first place votes, a second place vote, and a third place choice (coaches do not vote for their own team). Luther is second with 56 points including three first place votes, two second place, and three third places votes. 2015 runner-up Dubuque comes in at No. 3 with 50 points on four seconds, two thirds, and two fourth place votes. Wartburg is fourth with 46 points highlighted by two second place votes. Simpson is fifth with 36 points. IIAC newcomer Nebraska Wesleyan projects to earn to the final Iowa Conference Tournament spot with 26 points for sixth. Central is picked to finish seventh with 24 points while Coe is in eighth with 16 points.  Buena Vista takes the nine spot with nine points. 

The complete 2016 IIAC Men's Soccer Coaches Poll is as follows.
 

Rank  School (1st place votes) Points 2015 Record 
1.   Loras (6) 61 18-5-1, 7-0-0 IIAC  
2.   Luther (3)   56 11-6-3, 4-2-1 IIAC  
3.   Dubuque 50 12-6-1, 5-2-0 IIAC  
4.   Wartburg 46 11-6-2, 4-3-0 IIAC  
5.   Simpson 36 9-9-3, 4-2-1 IIAC  
6.   Nebraska Wesleyan   26 9-8-1, 3-6-1 GPAC  
7.   Central   24 4-13-0, 1-6-0 IIAC  
8.   Coe 16 6-13-1, 2-5-0 IIAC  
9.   Buena Vista 9 5-12-0, 0-7-0 IIAC  
 
The Spartans return the IIAC's Offensive MVP from last season in senior Gonzalo Hernandez-Cascante along with defensive specialist Danny Daniels who earned First Team All-Iowa Conference in 2015. Expect to see the Spartans utilize their speed this season after falling in the IIAC championship game by a score of 1-2 and again in the IIAC Tournament Championship 0-1 to a team which finished second in the country. A strong core of underclassmen will look to push the pressure early and often once the whistle blows. The Spartans had a taste of where they wanted to finish in 2015, this season they are looking to move to the next level and make the NCAA Division III Tournament.

NSCAA Preseason Poll:  Iowa Conference Regular Season and Tournament Champion Loras is ranked No. 2 in the NSCAA Division III Men's Soccer Top-25 Preseason Poll. Loras finished the 2015 season as NCAA Division III runner-up. 

The Schedule: The 2016 season kicks off on September 1 with Coe, Dubuque, Loras, Luther, Simpson and Wartburg in action. Buena Vista and Nebraska Wesleyan start the new year off on September 2 with a pair of road contests. Central is the final team to begin the season as they hit the road for a September 3 opener in Michigan. The 2016 Iowa Conference schedule begins on Saturday, September 24 with four games. The IIAC season is an eight game round robin schedule finishing on October 25. 

IIAC Tournament: The top six teams qualify for the 2016 tournament which begins on October 29 with the 4/5 seeds and the 3/6 seeds meeting at the lower seeds home field. The winners of the opening round games will face the 1 and 2 seeds on November 2. The semifinal winners will face-off on November 5 for the tournament title and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

University of Dubuque
Head Coach: Brad Johnson
2015 Record: 12-6-1 overall, 5-2-0 in the IIAC
Returning All-IIAC: Gonzalo Hernandez-Cascante (Offensive MVP, First Team- Forward); Danny Daniels (First Team - Defender)

 

University of Dubuque 2016 Men's Soccer Schedule:

Aug. 25       Concordia Univ. Wisconsin (Exhibition)     Dubuque, IA             6:00 p.m.

Aug. 28       Augustana (Exhibition)                                Rock Island, IL        7:00 p.m.

Sept. 1        vs. Monmouth College                                 Dubuque, IA             5:00 p.m.

Sept. 2        vs. St. Olaf College                                     Dubuque, IA             7:00 p.m.

Sept. 5        vs. Loras College (JV)                                 Dubuque, IA             7:30 p.m.

Sept. 7        at Grinnell College                                       Grinnell, IA              5:00 p.m.

Sept. 8        vs. UW-Platteville (JV)                                Dubuque, IA             7:30 p.m.

Sept. 10      vs. Illinois Wesleyan Univ.                        Dubuque, IA             3:00 p.m.

Sept. 14      vs. Aurora University                                   Dubuque, IA             7:00 p.m.

Sept. 15      at UW-Plattevlle (JV)                                   Platteville, WI          7:00 p.m.

Sept. 17      vs. Milwaukee School of Engineering        Dubuque, IA             3:00 p.m.

Sept. 18      at Loras College (JV)                                   Dubuque, IA             5:00 p.m.

Sept. 21      at North Park University                               Chicago, IL              7:00 p.m.

Sept. 24      at Buena Vista Univ.                                    Storm Lake, IA         3:00 p.m.

Sept. 26      vs. St. Ambrose University (JV)                  Dubuque, IA             7:30 p.m.

Sept. 28      at Carroll University                                     Waukesha, WI         7:00 p.m.

Oct. 1         at Nebraska Wesleyan University               Lincoln, NE              3:30 p.m.

Oct. 2         at St. Ambrose University (JV)                    Davenport, Iowa      1:00 p.m.

Oct. 5         vs. Loras College                                         Dubuque, IA             7:30 p.m.

Oct. 8         vs. Simpson College                                   Dubuque, IA             7:30 p.m.

Oct. 11       at Luther College                                          Decorah, IA              7:00 p.m.

Oct. 15       at Central College                                        Pella, IA                   3:00 p.m.

Oct. 19       vs. Wartburg College                                   Dubuque, IA             7:30 p.m.

Oct. 22       vs. UW-Platteville                                        Dubuque, IA             2:00 p.m.

Oct. 25       vs. Coe College                                           Dubuque, IA             7:30 p.m.

TBA            IIAC Tourney                                                                                  

TBA            IIAC Tourney Semifinals                                                               

TBA           IIAC Tourney Championships

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