MSUB Men’s Soccer Tabbed League Favorite

SPOKANE, Wash. – Heading into its second season in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Montana State Billings men’s soccer team has been selected as the league favorite by the conference’s head coaches Wednesday.  The Yellowjackets received 23 points and three first place votes, edging out Western Washington by two points overall and one first place vote for the top spot.

“Being number one in the GNAC preseason poll is a reflection of the great strides we have made in the last three seasons,” fourth-year head coach Dan McNally said.  “We are working hard this preseason so that we can continue our success.  The men’s soccer GNAC conference this year is very strong and I expect eight extremely difficult games.”

Following the Vikings is Seattle Pacific who received 15 points after a 7-6-3 record and a 2-3-3 record in conference play.  Saint Martin’s was tabbed fourth with 10 points after going 3-16 last season and Northwest Nazarene was picked fifth as a first year men’s soccer program with six points.  Points are awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis.

The Yellowjackets had their best season in school history last year with a 13-4-1 record and narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament last season.  MSUB finished second in the conference (5-2-1) to Seattle University who won its sixth conference title in seven years in 2007.  Seattle University has now moved to Division I.

MSUB returns 18 players from last season, including GNAC Player of the Year Sam Charles.  Charles was one of the nation’s best last season, scoring 19 goals, seven game winners and 41 points to earn Daktronics All-America honors as a sophomore.  In addition, sophomore forward Chris Andre returns as well as Scott Dixon who led the league with 10 assists and was a second team all-conference selection.

Defensively, the Yellowjackets are stout again as they allowed only 13 goals last season.  Seniors Justin Hoskins and Tom Milroy return and junior goalkeeper Sander Tollefson who all earned all-conference honors last season.  Tollefson finished 2007 ranked 16th nationally with a 0.74 goals against average.
The Yellowjackets open the 2008 campaign against Dixie State at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, UT, Friday, August 29.  MSUB will open the home slate at the newly renovated MSUB College of Technology Field Sept. 5 against Mesa State at 5 p.m.