Columns in order:
Adjusted RPI's 2015-17 (conference rating at top),
2018 non-conf. average RPI's and SOS's based on 2017,
2018 pre-season poll rankings
The Big Ten Conference sent five teams to the NCAA Tournament, three of them getting 1st-round byes, and saw flagship school Indiana make it to the championship match before losing in double OT to Stanford. Those same five teams should contend for bids in 2018.
Indiana was less than 8 minutes away from penalty kicks in the College Cup final when Griffin Dorsey, attempting to dribble a ball out of danger, was picked clean by Stanford's Sam Werner...who immediately shot and scored with his left knee on the ground to give Stanford the championship and the Hoosiers their only loss of the season. For 2018, Indiana is ranked No. 2 by United Soccer Coaches. Continuing with the #2 theme, senior defender Andrew Gutman was named the No. 2 player in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer. Gutman scored seven goals and added four assists while solidifying a stingy backline that allowed just seven goals in 2017. The Hoosiers should have no problem extending their streak of 31 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, even while playing the toughest non-conference schedule in the country.
Michigan State reached the Elite Eight in 2017, which made sense considering the Spartans were seeded 7th heading into the Tournament. Michigan State leans on oalkeeper of the Year Jimmy Hague, who posted a 0.62 goals-against average while playing every minute in 2017. Seniors DeJuan Jones and Ryan Sierakowski combined on 16 goals and nine assists in 2017.
Maryland kept its own streak of 17 straight NCAA Tournament appearances going, although it saw its three-year reign as conference tournament champs snapped by Wisconsin. Midfielder Amar Sejdic enters his senior season with career totals of 14 goals and 15 assists. Redshirt junior Dayne St. Clair has the goalkeeper position after posting a 0.99 GAA in 2017. The Terrapins play the 2nd-toughest non-conference schedule in the country.
Michigan was the #13 seed in the 2017 NCAA Tournament after winning its first Big Ten regular-season title. The Wolverines return 11 players who started at least 10 matches last season. Junior winger Jack Hallahan led Michigan in both goals (9) and assists (7) in 2017 and is on the Hermann Trophy watch list this season. Wisconsin is ranked #12 in the USC pre-season poll after winning its first-ever outright Big Ten Tournament championship and advancing to the Sweet 16. Junior midfielders Mitch Guitar and Noah Leibold and junior defender Robin Olofsson were named to the Big Ten's pre-season honors list.
More previews to come...follow links to rpiupdate.blogspot.com's daily scoreboards, team schedules, conference standings, NCAA Tournament projection and the most updated, accurately adjusted Division I men's soccer RPI rankings available.
The Big Ten Conference sent five teams to the NCAA Tournament, three of them getting 1st-round byes, and saw flagship school Indiana make it to the championship match before losing in double OT to Stanford. Those same five teams should contend for bids in 2018.
Indiana was less than 8 minutes away from penalty kicks in the College Cup final when Griffin Dorsey, attempting to dribble a ball out of danger, was picked clean by Stanford's Sam Werner...who immediately shot and scored with his left knee on the ground to give Stanford the championship and the Hoosiers their only loss of the season. For 2018, Indiana is ranked No. 2 by United Soccer Coaches. Continuing with the #2 theme, senior defender Andrew Gutman was named the No. 2 player in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer. Gutman scored seven goals and added four assists while solidifying a stingy backline that allowed just seven goals in 2017. The Hoosiers should have no problem extending their streak of 31 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, even while playing the toughest non-conference schedule in the country.
Michigan State reached the Elite Eight in 2017, which made sense considering the Spartans were seeded 7th heading into the Tournament. Michigan State leans on oalkeeper of the Year Jimmy Hague, who posted a 0.62 goals-against average while playing every minute in 2017. Seniors DeJuan Jones and Ryan Sierakowski combined on 16 goals and nine assists in 2017.
Maryland kept its own streak of 17 straight NCAA Tournament appearances going, although it saw its three-year reign as conference tournament champs snapped by Wisconsin. Midfielder Amar Sejdic enters his senior season with career totals of 14 goals and 15 assists. Redshirt junior Dayne St. Clair has the goalkeeper position after posting a 0.99 GAA in 2017. The Terrapins play the 2nd-toughest non-conference schedule in the country.
Michigan was the #13 seed in the 2017 NCAA Tournament after winning its first Big Ten regular-season title. The Wolverines return 11 players who started at least 10 matches last season. Junior winger Jack Hallahan led Michigan in both goals (9) and assists (7) in 2017 and is on the Hermann Trophy watch list this season. Wisconsin is ranked #12 in the USC pre-season poll after winning its first-ever outright Big Ten Tournament championship and advancing to the Sweet 16. Junior midfielders Mitch Guitar and Noah Leibold and junior defender Robin Olofsson were named to the Big Ten's pre-season honors list.
More previews to come...follow links to rpiupdate.blogspot.com's daily scoreboards, team schedules, conference standings, NCAA Tournament projection and the most updated, accurately adjusted Division I men's soccer RPI rankings available.
