Xavier University Athletics
Cory Brown Named Preseason All-BIG EAST, No. 19 Men’s Soccer Picked Fourth in League Poll
08.18.15 | Men's Soccer
Musketeers coming off second-place finish, first Sweet 16 appearance last season
NEW YORK – No. 19 Xavier men's soccer was picked to finish fourth in a stacked BIG EAST Conference, while Cory Brown was selected to the preseason All-BIG EAST team on Tuesday.
"While I think us being fourth is fair – I had us fourth – I also think it points to the depth and power within our conference," said head coach Andy Fleming, who enters his sixth season with the program in 2015. "It's arguably the best conference in the nation."
The teams picked ahead of XU – Creighton, Georgetown and Providence – were each picked in the preseason top-10 by the NSCAA.
"The difference between the third and eighth spots will be small, and likely go down to the wire," said Fleming. "I tell our guys that each year there's a team that finishes a few slots ahead or behind of where they were expected to and this gives us a little bit of bulletin board material to keep in mind as we go."
Brown's selection to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team marks the fourth time a Xavier player has earned the honor during the team's three years in the conference. Will Walker was named to the preseason All-BIG EAST team in 2014, while Matt Walker and Nick Hagglund received the honor in 2013.
A sophomore defender from Nelson, New Zealand, Brown has been collecting plenty of preseason accolades. Last week, he was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List and just yesterday he earned a spot on Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Best XI Second Team.
"Cory had a strong summer at the FIFA World Cup and with the Portland Timbers U-23 team and has come back as a more poised and vocal elder statesman," said Fleming. "His learning curve remains high and I think in the early stages of the season, as well as some of the biggest conference games, we will need him to carry us at times – which I think he can do. Ironically, Cory is learning that the more simple and cerebral he plays, the more impact he has. I'm excited to watch his continued progress as he grows into one of the nation's top defenders."
The fourth-place prediction is the highest for the Musketeers since entering the BIG EAST in 2013. As a team, Xavier was picked to finish seventh in 2014 and fifth in 2013.
Xavier is one of just 15 teams nationally with five consecutive 10-plus win seasons and one of just 19 to appear in four of the past five NCAA Tournaments. The Musketeers are also in the top-12 nationally in terms of total wins over the past five years (61) and NCAA wins over the past three years (3).
XU finished the 2014 season with a 15-6-2 record (6-1-2 BIG EAST) and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
The Musketeers begin the regular season on Friday, August 28 against Eastern Illinois at Xavier Soccer Complex. First touch is set for 8:00 p.m. ET.
2015 Preseason Men's Soccer All-BIG EAST Team and Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Brandon Allen, Georgetown, Sr., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Joshua Yaro, Georgetown, Jr., D ^
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year – Connor Sparrow, Creighton, Sr.
Preseason All-BIG EAST *
^ Brandon Allen, Georgetown, Sr., F
Mac Steeves, Providence, Jr., F
C. Nortey, Marquette, Marquette, RS-Sr., F
David Goldsmith, Butler, Jr., F
Fabian Herbers, Creighton, Jr., M/F
^ Timo Pitter, Creighton, Sr., M
Louis Bennett II, Marquette, Jr., M
Julian Gressel, Providence, Jr., M
Keegan Rosenberry, Georgetown, Sr., M/D
^ Joshua Yaro, Georgetown, Jr., D
Cory Brown, Xavier, So., D
Connor Sparrow, Creighton, Sr., GK
Preseason Coaches' Poll
First place votes in ( )
1. Creighton – 77 pts. (5 first place votes)
Georgetown – 77 pts. (5)
3. Providence – 65 pts.
4. Xavier – 55 pts.
5. Marquette – 50 pts.
6. St. John's – 36 pts.
7. Butler – 33 pts.
8. Villanova – 29 pts.
9. Seton Hall – 19 pts.
10. DePaul – 9 pts.
^ - denotes unanimous selection
* - due to a tie in voting the preseason All-BIG EAST
"While I think us being fourth is fair – I had us fourth – I also think it points to the depth and power within our conference," said head coach Andy Fleming, who enters his sixth season with the program in 2015. "It's arguably the best conference in the nation."
The teams picked ahead of XU – Creighton, Georgetown and Providence – were each picked in the preseason top-10 by the NSCAA.
"The difference between the third and eighth spots will be small, and likely go down to the wire," said Fleming. "I tell our guys that each year there's a team that finishes a few slots ahead or behind of where they were expected to and this gives us a little bit of bulletin board material to keep in mind as we go."
Brown's selection to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team marks the fourth time a Xavier player has earned the honor during the team's three years in the conference. Will Walker was named to the preseason All-BIG EAST team in 2014, while Matt Walker and Nick Hagglund received the honor in 2013.
A sophomore defender from Nelson, New Zealand, Brown has been collecting plenty of preseason accolades. Last week, he was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List and just yesterday he earned a spot on Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Best XI Second Team.
"Cory had a strong summer at the FIFA World Cup and with the Portland Timbers U-23 team and has come back as a more poised and vocal elder statesman," said Fleming. "His learning curve remains high and I think in the early stages of the season, as well as some of the biggest conference games, we will need him to carry us at times – which I think he can do. Ironically, Cory is learning that the more simple and cerebral he plays, the more impact he has. I'm excited to watch his continued progress as he grows into one of the nation's top defenders."
The fourth-place prediction is the highest for the Musketeers since entering the BIG EAST in 2013. As a team, Xavier was picked to finish seventh in 2014 and fifth in 2013.
Xavier is one of just 15 teams nationally with five consecutive 10-plus win seasons and one of just 19 to appear in four of the past five NCAA Tournaments. The Musketeers are also in the top-12 nationally in terms of total wins over the past five years (61) and NCAA wins over the past three years (3).
XU finished the 2014 season with a 15-6-2 record (6-1-2 BIG EAST) and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.
The Musketeers begin the regular season on Friday, August 28 against Eastern Illinois at Xavier Soccer Complex. First touch is set for 8:00 p.m. ET.
2015 Preseason Men's Soccer All-BIG EAST Team and Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Brandon Allen, Georgetown, Sr., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Joshua Yaro, Georgetown, Jr., D ^
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year – Connor Sparrow, Creighton, Sr.
Preseason All-BIG EAST *
^ Brandon Allen, Georgetown, Sr., F
Mac Steeves, Providence, Jr., F
C. Nortey, Marquette, Marquette, RS-Sr., F
David Goldsmith, Butler, Jr., F
Fabian Herbers, Creighton, Jr., M/F
^ Timo Pitter, Creighton, Sr., M
Louis Bennett II, Marquette, Jr., M
Julian Gressel, Providence, Jr., M
Keegan Rosenberry, Georgetown, Sr., M/D
^ Joshua Yaro, Georgetown, Jr., D
Cory Brown, Xavier, So., D
Connor Sparrow, Creighton, Sr., GK
Preseason Coaches' Poll
First place votes in ( )
1. Creighton – 77 pts. (5 first place votes)
Georgetown – 77 pts. (5)
3. Providence – 65 pts.
4. Xavier – 55 pts.
5. Marquette – 50 pts.
6. St. John's – 36 pts.
7. Butler – 33 pts.
8. Villanova – 29 pts.
9. Seton Hall – 19 pts.
10. DePaul – 9 pts.
^ - denotes unanimous selection
* - due to a tie in voting the preseason All-BIG EAST
Players Mentioned
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