ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Penn State Altoona men's soccer was voted into third place in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference's 2017 preseason coaches' poll, which was released on Monday.
Penn State Behrend, the AMCC champions in 2016, was selected to the top of the poll with seven first place votes. Medaille College, which was second in the conference standings last fall, was predicted to again place second this season.
Penn State Altoona men's soccer finished third in the AMCC regular season standings last season. The Lions enjoyed a strong 2016 campaign, going 11-8-1 overall with a 6-2-1 mark in the AMCC. The team reached the semifinal round of the AMCC Tournament and also earned a berth into the Eastern College Athletic Conference's Division III Championship Tournament for the first since since 2009. With a strong group of returners this fall, eighth-year head coach Patrick Taylor will look to keep the Lions on track for continued success.
Named as "Players to Watch" for Penn State Altoona this upcoming season were senior midfielder Seth Murrelle (Sayre, PA/Sayre) and junior forward Jordan Crist (Alum Bank, PA/Chestnut Ridge).
Murrelle was a second team All-AMCC selection last season. He finished second on the Lions in goals scored (7) and assists (4), and he was third on the team in points (18), shots attempted (39), and shots on goal (17).
Crist was a third team All-Conference pick last fall. He tied for third on Penn State Altoona in goals scored (6) and shots on goal (17) while ranking fourth on the team in points (13).
Penn State Altoona men's soccer starts its 2017 schedule with back-to-back home non-conference games during the first weekend of September. On Friday, September 1, the Lions face Arcadia University for a 6:00 p.m. game. Then, on Saturday, September 2, Penn State Altoona hosts Waynesburg University for a 1:00 p.m. contest. The Lions' first AMCC game of the season is Saturday, September 23, when the team will hit the road to take on Pitt-Bradford at 1:00 p.m.