Big East coaches have predicted the St. John’s University men to repeat its third-place finish in the league from a year ago, it was revealed on Wednesday.
One of a league-record five conference teams to make the NCAA Tournament last season, the Red Storm finished third in the final 2021 conference standings behind Georgetown University and Providence College. The Johnnies went 5-3-2 in league play as their losses came in extratime.
The Red Storm, which received votes in the preseason United Soccer Coaches poll, will open the season on Thursday, Aug. 25, when the team travels to take on Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J. (FloFC live stream).
Graduate student Brandon Knapp was the lone Red Storm player selected to the p team.
Knapp, a three-time All-Big East selection, was named to the league’s top team in 2021 after leading the Red Storm with five goals and six assists. As a senior, the All-Region third team pick ranked second in the conference in assists, sixth in points and eighth in goals. A versatile player, Knapp also played a key role in the squad’s defensive unit that finished fifth nationally in goals-against average (0.63) and first in shutout percentage (0.60).
With Knapp leading the way, the Red Storm went 11-6-3 and earned the program’s 22nd NCAA Division I Tournament berth in the last 30 seasons. The Johnnies took down Princeton University, 1-0, on a Knapp game-winner in the tournament’s opening game at Belson Stadium before falling to top-seeded Oregon State University, 2-0, in Corvallis, Ore.
The Abingdon, Md., native earned All-Big East third team spots as a sophomore and junior. In 2019, Knapp helped the Red Storm rise as high as No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. The team finished second in the conference standings and reached the NCAA Tournament Round of 16 for the first time since 2008.
Preseason Offensive Players of the Year
Wilmer Cabrera, Jr., Butler, Sr., F
Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year
Daniel Wu, Georgetown, Sr., D
Ramzi Qawasmy, Providence, Gr., D
Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year
Paul Kruse, Creighton, Gr., GK
Men’s Soccer Preseason All-BIG EAST
Wilmer Cabrera Jr., Butler, Sr., F ^
Lukas Sunesson, Marquette, Sr., F
Gevork Diarbian, Providence, Jr., F
Lyam MacKinnon, Villanova, Sr., F
Mateo Leveque, UConn, So., M
Charles Auguste, Creighton, Sr., M
Luis Garcia, Providence, Sr., M
Daniel Wu, Georgetown, Sr., D ^
Ramzi Qawasmy, Providence, Gr., D ^
Brandon Knapp, St. John’s, Gr., D
Paul Kruse, Creighton, Gr., GK
^Unanimous selection
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Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll First Place votes in () |
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1. Providence (4) |
94 points |
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2. Georgetown (7) |
93 |
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3. St. John’s |
79 |
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4. Creighton |
71 |
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5. Butler |
60 |
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6. Villanova |
59 |
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7. Marquette |
49 |
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8. UConn |
38 |
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9. DePaul |
23 |
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10. Seton Hall |
22 |
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11. Xavier |
17 |
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