TicketsPROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference announced Tuesday its preseason all-conference team with redshirt junior forward Austin Smythe one of 13 players selected to the squad.
Voted by the league's head coaches, Smythe (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day/Radford) garnered the honor following a stellar 2017 season in which he scored five goals and dished out one assist. Included in his five scores, he tallied the game-winner in a 2-1 home victory over IUPUI. Smythe earned the AAC Weekly Honor Roll accolade once last year.
UC has now had a player named to the preseason all-conference team in consecutive years after Patrick Nielsen was a unanimous pick in 2017, while also being tabbed preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
In the preseason conference poll, the Bearcats were picked to finish seventh in the eight-team league.
2018 American Athletic Conference
Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
Team Points (First Place Votes)
1. UCF 46 (4)
2. SMU 41 (3)
3. UConn 38 (1)
4. USF 34
5. Tulsa 26
6. Temple 19
7. Cincinnati 11
8. Memphis 9
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Garrett McLaughlin, SMU, Jr., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jacob Hauser-Ramsey, UConn, Sr., D
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Christian Knight, USF, Sr., GK
Preseason All-Conference Team
Cal Jennings, UCF, Jr., F*
Yoni Sorokin, UCF, So., M*
Andreas Steineger, UCF, Sr., D
Austin Smythe, Cincinnati, R-Jr., F
Dylan Greenberg, UConn, R-Sr., D
Jacob Hauser-Ramsey, UConn, Sr., D*
Abdou Thiam, UConn, Sr., F*
Ben Roberts, Memphis, Jr., D
David Zalzman, Memphis, Sr., M
Adrian Billhardt, USF, So., M
Christian Knight, USF, Sr., GK
Emil Cuello, SMU, Sr., M
Garrett McLaughlin, SMU, Jr., F*
*Denotes unanimous selection
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will wrap up the 2018 preseason Friday, Aug. 17, with an 8 p.m. ET first touch at SIUE. UC's regular season will kick off on Friday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. at Gettler Stadium against Northern Illinois. Admission to the match will be free as part of the season-long Experience UC initiative.
// GET CONNECTED
Stay up to date with the team by following the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @GoBearcatsMSOC.
Voted by the league's head coaches, Smythe (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day/Radford) garnered the honor following a stellar 2017 season in which he scored five goals and dished out one assist. Included in his five scores, he tallied the game-winner in a 2-1 home victory over IUPUI. Smythe earned the AAC Weekly Honor Roll accolade once last year.
UC has now had a player named to the preseason all-conference team in consecutive years after Patrick Nielsen was a unanimous pick in 2017, while also being tabbed preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
In the preseason conference poll, the Bearcats were picked to finish seventh in the eight-team league.
2018 American Athletic Conference
Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
Team Points (First Place Votes)
1. UCF 46 (4)
2. SMU 41 (3)
3. UConn 38 (1)
4. USF 34
5. Tulsa 26
6. Temple 19
7. Cincinnati 11
8. Memphis 9
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Garrett McLaughlin, SMU, Jr., F
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jacob Hauser-Ramsey, UConn, Sr., D
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Christian Knight, USF, Sr., GK
Preseason All-Conference Team
Cal Jennings, UCF, Jr., F*
Yoni Sorokin, UCF, So., M*
Andreas Steineger, UCF, Sr., D
Austin Smythe, Cincinnati, R-Jr., F
Dylan Greenberg, UConn, R-Sr., D
Jacob Hauser-Ramsey, UConn, Sr., D*
Abdou Thiam, UConn, Sr., F*
Ben Roberts, Memphis, Jr., D
David Zalzman, Memphis, Sr., M
Adrian Billhardt, USF, So., M
Christian Knight, USF, Sr., GK
Emil Cuello, SMU, Sr., M
Garrett McLaughlin, SMU, Jr., F*
*Denotes unanimous selection
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats will wrap up the 2018 preseason Friday, Aug. 17, with an 8 p.m. ET first touch at SIUE. UC's regular season will kick off on Friday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. at Gettler Stadium against Northern Illinois. Admission to the match will be free as part of the season-long Experience UC initiative.
// GET CONNECTED
Stay up to date with the team by following the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @GoBearcatsMSOC.