Men's Soccer | 8/5/2021 11:10:00 AM
TROY, N.Y. - The United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Men's Preseason Poll has been released and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) opens the 2021 season as the seventh-ranked team in the nation. The Engineers are coming off one of the program's most successful season ever in 2019, going 16-3-4 and reaching the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.
RPI, which is led by 20th-year head coach
Adam Clinton saw their record-breaking 2019 season come to an end at Amherst College on November 24, falling 3-1 to the Mammoths. The Engineers set school records in wins (16), home wins (11), longest winning streak (10), longest unbeaten streak (15), goals (47) and goals in an NCAA Tournament game (4). Rensselaer had not previously made it past the Second Round.
Josh Gaudiano, the Liberty League and ECAC Rookie of the Year led the Engineers offensively in 2019, scoring 16 goals with five assists for 37 points. He registered five game-winning goals and was a perfect 5 for 5 from the penalty spot, firing 83 shot attempts, including 43 on target. Four other Engineers tallied double-digit points on the year, including Austin Betterly (5 goals, 5 assists),
Trevor Bisson (6 goals, 1 assist),
Arik Duncan (5 goals, 3 assists) and Dylan Confair (3 goals, 4 assists).Â
In goal,
Luke Brezak posted an 11-1-4 record, with a 0.66 goals against average and an .841 save percentage. Making 61 saves, he recorded six shutouts and one combined shutout with Matt LaBranche, who went 5-2-0, with a 1.03 goals against average and an .805 save percentage.Â
The 2021 preseason poll is headline by Tufts University in the No. 1 spot, followed by Amherst, Calvin University, Centre College, Luther College and Connecticut College. The Engineers sit one spot above Monclair State and two ahead of Messiah College, whom RPI defeated during its historic NCAA tournament run.
Rensselaer is scheduled to kick-off its 2021 campaign on September 1 at Keene State (4pm), with its first home contest slated for September 11 against Plattsburgh State (4pm).
