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NEW ORLEANS – The Marshall University men’s soccer team led the way with four Sun Belt preseason all-conference selections, the league announced Monday.
Milo Yosef, Vinicius Fernandes, Gabriel Alves and Oliver Semmle were named to the Sun Belt’s preseason all-conference team. This is the Thundering Herd’s first season of competition in the league, which it joined July 1.
West Virginia University, also a Sun Belt newcomer in men’s soccer, was picked to win the Sun Belt, receiving five of the nine possible first-place votes. Marshall, the 2020 Division I national champions and preseason favorites to win the league a year ago, was picked second by voters, receiving three first-place votes.
Kentucky, another Sun Belt newcomer, was picked to finish third and received the lone remaining first-place vote.
Yosef is a redshirt senior who was a second team All-American in 2019 and ranks seventh in MU history in goals, seventh in assists and ninth in points.
Fernandes is a graduate student who was a second team all-conference selection in 2021 and ranks No. 11 in program history in assists. He dazzled during College Spring League action, earning league Most Valuable Player honors.
Alves is a junior who made the C-USA all-tournament team a year ago.
Semmie, who is entering his final season, was a United Coaches Association All-Southeast Region third team pick a year ago. He made the second team in Conference USA. He ranks No. 2 in program history with 19 clean sheets.
Marshall has one exhibition match remaining: Friday at Maryland.
The Thundering Herd’s regular season opener is Thursday, Aug. 25 vs. VCU. That match will start at 7:15 p.m. and be broadcast on ESPN+.
2022 SUN BELT CONFERENCE MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Eythor Bjorgolfsson, Kentucky (Sr., F – Jessheim, Norway)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Luis Grassow, Kentucky (Sr., D – Munich, Germany)
2022 Men’s Soccer Preseason All-Conference Team*
Alvaro Garcia-Pascual, Coastal Carolina (So., F – Benalmadena, Spain)
Luca Erhardt, James Madison (RS Sr., F – Offenbach, Germany) Eythor Bjorgolfsson, Kentucky (Sr., F – Jessheim, Norway)
Milo Yosef, Marshall (RS Sr., F – Aachen, Germany)
Ross Finnie, Georgia State (Sr., M – Carnoustie, Scotland)
Rodrigo Robles, James Madison (RS Jr., M – Burgos, Spain)
Vinicius Fernandes, Marshall (Gr., M – Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Luis Grassow, Kentucky (Sr., D – Munich, Germany)
Robert Screen, Kentucky (5th Yr., D – Raleigh, N.C.)
Gabriel Alves, Marshall (Jr., D – Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Bjarne Thiesen, West Virginia (RS Jr., D – Kiel, Germany)
Oliver Semmle, Marshall (Gr., GK – Au Am Rhein, Germany)
* Team Expanded Due to Ties in Voting
2022 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
1. West Virginia – 75 (5)
2. Marshall – 72 (3)
3. Kentucky – 69 (1)
4. South Carolina – 41
T-5. Coastal Carolina – 39
T-5. James Madison – 39
7. Georgia State – 35
8. Old Dominion – 20
9. Georgia Southern – 15
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