UIC picked to win 2008 men's soccer regular-season title

Aug. 18, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The University of Illinois at Chicago men's soccer team has been picked to win the 2008 Horizon League regular-season championship, according to results from the League's preseason poll.

UIC received the maxium eight first-place votes (64 points) from the League's head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own team. The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (52) and Loyola University Chicago (51) are second and third in this year's preseason poll, respectively.

Butler University (43), the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (39) and Valparaiso University (26) occupy positions four, five and six in this year's preseason poll, while Wright State University (20), the University of Detroit Mercy (16) and Cleveland State University (13) round out spots seven, eight and nine.

UIC enters the season ranked No. 16 in the nation by the NSCAA and Adidas Preseason Polls, and No. 17 by College Soccer News. Last season the Flames knocked off three nationally-ranked opponents en route to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship.

UIC's run to the Elite Eight was the Horizon League's deepest run since Evansville reached the national semifinals in 1990 as a member of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference.

UIC enters the 2008 campaign with eight starters returning from last year's squad. The Flames will be led by junior goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja, who was a College Soccer News All-America Second Team selection and NSCAA All-Great Lakes First Team pick in 2007.

Green Bay will be paced by senior forward Tosaint Ricketts, who collected NSCAA All-Great Lakes Second Team accolades in 2007. The Phoenix also feature a Top 100 freshman in midfielder Stuart Grable.

Brendan Eitz was named Horizon League Coach of the Year in 2007 after guiding Loyola to its first-ever outright regular-season title. Junior Michael Ferguson, the Horizon League's Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year a season ago, returns for the Ramblers in 2008.

Senior forward Frank Patano, an NSCAA All-Great Lakes Third Team choice last year, will lead Butler in 2008. Junior Ryan Schwarz, the Horizon League's Goalkeeper of the Year in 2007, will pace Valparaiso.

All nine schools begin non-conference action the weekend of Friday, Aug. 29. The Horizon League Championships will run from Thursday, Nov. 6, through Sunday, Nov. 16. The tournament winner receives an automatic berth to the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

NOTE: The Preseason standings can be found in the .PDF version of this release