Flash Points:
- Saint Francis is picked second in the Northeast Conference pre-season coaches' poll.
- Coaches could not vote for themselves and SFU earned two first-place votes.
- Saint Francis is led by two-time All-American and NEC Defender of the Year Francis de Vries (Christchurch, New Zealand/Cashmere).
SOMERSET, N.J.- For the second-straight season, Saint Francis men's soccer is picked to finish second in the Northeast Conference according to the pre-season coaches' poll.
"Good feeling to be chosen a top contender in the NEC, which is ultimately a fair recognition for the quality and consistency showed in the last few seasons," head coach
Paulo Neto said.
Saint Francis has made the NEC tournament every season since 2012 including three trips to the NEC title game (2012, 2014, 2015) but the Flash are still looking for that elusive conference title.
"We have our work cut out for us if we want to go as far as we did last year, " Coach Neto continued. " Even more so if we are to obtain the ultimate goal winning the conference tournament."
LIU Brooklyn upended the Red Flash in penalty kicks in the conference title game last season, and the Blackbirds are picked to repeat as conference champions. LIU earned 48 poll points to top the Flash's 42. Following the Flash, St. Francis Brooklyn, who earned the fourth-seed in the NEC tourney last season is picked third with 39 poll points and Central Connecticut is picked fourth (23 points). Bryant (22), Robert Morris (22), FDU (20), and Sacred Heart (8) round out the poll.
"I expect some of the bottom teams to step up this year to make the battle for the championship even more competitive than last year," Neto added.
The Flash return their top-two scorers from last season in NEC All-Rookie forward
Mario Mastrangelo (Venetia, Pa/Peters Township) (10 goals, 21 points) and two-time All-American defender
Francis de Vries (Christchurch, New Zealand/Cashmere) (6 goals, 16 points). de Vries was named to the MAC Hermann watch list for the second time this season; the award goes to the nation's top college soccer player.
The SFU defense also returns in full force in 2016 as
Jack Webber (Bernville, Pa./Tulpehocken), Jonathan Otting,
Nick Hanuscin (Cinnaminson, N.J./Bishop Eustace), and Nico Mastrangelo join De Vries along the defending back line. In net,
Marcus Rojas (Fremont, Calif./Bellarmine College Preparatory) took over as the starter midway through last season and went 7-0-1 in net with a .63 goals against average and a .848 save percentage.
The Red Flash have a pair of exhibitions this week in Loretto as Salem International and Cleveland State come in for a pair of friendlies. Salem is up first on Thursday night, kick off from the Stokes SoccerPlex is set for 6 p.m.
2016 NEC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. LIU Brooklyn (6)
2. Saint Francis U (2)
3. St. Francis Brooklyn
4. Central Connecticut
5. Bryant
Robert Morris
7. Fairleigh Dickinson
8. Sacred Heart
