Colgate men’s soccer senior Ethan Kutler has been voted the preseason Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, while he, junior Jared Stroud and senior Zach Tamen have earned preseason All-League laurels, as announced by the league Wednesday afternoon. The Raiders, who open their season Friday at home against Loyola Marymount, were predicted to finish third in the league’s preseason poll.
Kutler is coming off a highly-decorated junior campaign in which he was named first team All-Northeast Region by the NSCAA, the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and first team All-League. The Lansing native led the team with 24 points behind nine goals and six assists while netting three game-winners. Kutler has tallied 23 goals and 15 assists throughout his three years at Colgate.
Stroud earned second team All-League laurels a season ago after finishing tied for third on the team with eight points thanks to one goal and six assists. The Chester, N.J. native has played in all but one game in his two years with the Raiders and enters his junior campaign with 13 career points.
Tamen is coming off a junior season in which he was named first team All-Patriot League after anchoring a Colgate defense that allowed an average of just one goal a game. The Washington, D.C. native has served as a three-year starter for the Raiders and has also contributed two goals and two assists throughout his career.
Colgate, the defending regular-season Patriot League champions, garnered 130 points and three-first place votes as the Raiders were predicted to finish third in the league’s preseason poll. Colgate finished the 2015 campaign with a 7-2 league mark and 10-7-2 overall record. American tallied 148 points to finish atop the preseason poll, while Boston University was right behind with 147. Lehigh (126 points) and Navy (80 points) rounded out the top five.
The poll and preseason All-League teams were voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors who could not vote for their own teams or student-athletes.
The Raiders open the 2016 campaign at home this weekend when Colgate co-hosts the Central New York Classic. The season begins Friday at 6 p.m. when Loyola Marymount comes to Beyer-Small ’76 Field. The Raiders will then close out the weekend Sunday at 4 p.m. against UMass. All information regarding how to follow along with Colgate men’s soccer games this season can be found at Game Central.
2016 Patriot League Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll
- American, 148 points (6 first-place votes)
- Boston University, 147 (10)
- Colgate, 130 (3)
- Lehigh, 126 (1)
- Navy, 80
- Bucknell, 73
- Army, 73
- Holy Cross, 48
- Loyola, 48
- Lafayette, 27
Preseason All-League Team
- Felix De Bona, Boston University (Sr., F)
- Ethan Kutler, Colgate (Sr., F)
- Dale Ludwig, American (Sr., M)
- Panos Nakhid, American (Sr., M)
- Anthony Viteri, Boston University (Jr., M)
- Jared Stroud, Colgate (Jr., M)
- Jake Garcia, American (Sr., D)
- David Asbjornsson, Boston University (Sr., D)
- Zach Tamen, Colgate (Sr., D)
- Justin Worley, Lehigh (Sr., D)
- Matt Gilbert, Boston University (Sr., GK)
- Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Ethan Kutler, Colgate
- Preseason Midfielder of the Year: Anthony Viteri, Boston University
- Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: David Asbjornsson, Boston University