The Sports Inquirer

Maryland has been picked to win the Big Ten men’s soccer championship in its first year in the conference by the coaches’ preseason poll. 

The Terrapins reached the national championship game last season and concluded the 2013 campaign with a 17-4-5 record, They have advanced to the NCAA Tournament 19 times since 1994.

Michigan State was voted second in the poll followed by Michigan, defending Big Ten champion Penn State and Indiana, which won last year’s conference tournament.

The 2014 players to watch list features Michigan’s Tyler Arnone, last season’s Midfielder of the Year and Penn State’s Andrew Wolverton, the 2013 Goalkeeper of the Year. The list also includes four 2013 first-team All-Big Ten honorees, five second-team selections and one All-Freshman Team honoree.

All nine conference teams kick off the 2014 men’s soccer season on Friday, Aug. 29.

BIG TEN MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL

1. Maryland
   2. Michigan State
   3. Michigan
   4. Penn State
   5. Indiana
   6. Northwestern
   7. Wisconsin
   8. Rutgers
   9. Ohio State

BIG TEN MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH

Femi Hollinger-Janzen, Indiana, Jr., Forward/Midfield
Tanner Thompson, Indiana, So., Midfield
Jamie Vollmer, Indiana, Sr., Midfield
Dan Metzger, Maryland, Sr., Midfield
Zack Steffen, Maryland, So., Goalkeeper
Tsubasa Endoh, Maryland, Jr., Midfield
Tyler Arnone, Michigan, Sr., Midfield
Adam Grinwis, Michigan, Sr., Goalkeeper
Marcos Ugarte, Michigan, Sr., Midfield
Fatai Alashe, Michigan State, Sr., Midfield
Adam Montague, Michigan State, Sr., Forward
Jay Chapman, Michigan State, Jr., Midfield
Tyler Miller, Northwestern, Sr., Goalkeeper
Nikko Boxall, Northwestern, Sr., Defense
Joey Calistri, Northwestern, Jr., Forward
Alex Ivanov, Ohio State, Sr., Goalkeeper
Kyle Culbertson, Ohio State, Jr., Midfield
Danny Jensen, Ohio State, So., Forward
Andrew Wolverton, Penn State, Sr., Goalkeeper
Mikey Minutillo, Penn State, Sr., Forward
Owen Griffith, Penn State, Sr., Midfield
David Greczek, Rutgers, So., Goalkeeper
Ross Tetro, Rutgers, Jr., Defense
Nathan Bruccoleri, Rutgers, Sr., Midfield
Drew Conner, Wisconsin, Jr., Midfield
David Caban, Wisconsin, Sr., Defense/Midfield
Jacob Brindle, Wisconsin, Sr., Midfield/Forward