LIU Post Sits Atop ECC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll

Central Islip, N.Y. - The LIU Post men’s soccer team has been picked as the favorite to win a third straight ECC Championship in 2014 as voted upon by the league’s coaches. Seniors Eivind Austboe (Stavanger, Norway) of LIU Post and Christoffer Olesen (Kristiansand, Norway) of Bridgeport have earned the ECC Preseason Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards, respectively.

LIU Post, who claimed their second straight ECC Championship and third title in the past five years last season, was nearly a unanimous choice for the top spot with 10 out of 11 first place votes and 119 points. In 2013, the Pioneers tied a program record with 18 victories for the second straight season. LIU Post, who spent four weeks as the No. 1 team in the nation in 2013, begins the 2014 slate ranked at No. 8 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Preseason Top 25 poll.

New York Institute of Technology, who did not make the ECC Championship but did earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, finished with 95 points in the poll to rank second just ahead of Bridgeport. The Purple Knights round out the top three with 94 points. Dowling, which advanced to the ECC Championship Final and also the NCAA Tournament, received the final first place vote and comes in fourth in the poll with 85 points.

Austboe had one of the best seasons in ECC history on the way to winning the conference's Offensive Player of the Year award a year ago, scoring 24 goals and dishing off 10 assists for a whopping 58 points. His goal and point totals were more than twice the total of the runner-ups on the ECC leader board and also ranked second in all of Division II. For his efforts, Austboe was named the Daktronics Division II National Player of the Year as well as being honored as a First Team All-American by both Daktronics and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Olesen, a four-year starter on the Purple Knights' back line, has earned the coaches' vote as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. He started 15 games in 2013 and was a key member of a Bridgeport defense led the conference with only 14 goals and a 0.87 goals against average. Olesen chipped in with three goals and one assist during the 2013 campaign, as well.

2014 ECC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll
School                                  Pts.          2013 Record
1. LIU Post (10)                      119          18-2-2 (8-0-2 ECC)
2. NYIT                                  95            13-5-0 (6-4-0 ECC)
3. Bridgeport                          94             9-7-0 (7-3-0 ECC)
4. Dowling (1)                         85             12-5-3 (5-2-3 ECC)
5. Mercy                                83             11-4-4 (5-2-3 ECC)
6. Queens                              62             9-5-3 (4-4-2 ECC)
7. District of Columbia             59             7-6-3 (2-5-3 ECC)
8. St. Thomas Aquinas            43             7-8-1 (4-6-0 ECC)
9. Molloy                                41             5-9-3 (3-4-3 ECC)
10. Roberts Wesleyan             33             4-12-2 (2-7-1 ECC)
11. Daemen                           12              4-13-1 (0-9-1 ECC)

( ) – first place votes

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About the ECC

Founded as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference in 1989 and rechristened the East Coast Conference in July 2006, the ECC was formed to enhance intercollegiate athletic competition among member institutions and to assist them in integrating athletics into their academic program in a fiscally sound way. The ECC is committed to the highest standards of scholarship, sportsmanship, teamwork, and citizenship. Its mission is to promote the total person concept in its student-athletes, which stresses the abilities to excel in academic achievement, athletic competition, and positive character traits. East Coast Conference members include: University of Bridgeport (Bridgeport, Conn.); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.); Daemen College (Amherst, N.Y.); Dowling College (Oakdale, N.Y.); LIU Post (Brookville, N.Y.); Mercy College (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.); Molloy College (Rockville Centre, N.Y.); New York Institute of Technology (Old Westbury, N.Y.); Queens College (Flushing, N.Y.); Roberts Wesleyan College (Rochester, N.Y.) and St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.). Associate Members include: Chestnut Hill College (Philadelphia, Pa.), Dominican College (Orangeburg, N.Y.), and Georgian Court University (Lakewood, N.J.).

The ECC sponsors the following championship sports: baseball; men’s and women’s basketball; men’s and women’s cross country; men’s and women’s lacrosse; softball; men’s and women’s tennis; men’s and women’s indoor track and field; men’s and women’s outdoor track and field; men’s and women’s soccer; and women’s volleyball.

The East Coast Conference is a proud member of the NCAA and Division II. Division II is a dynamic and engaging group of colleges, institutions and conferences of varying sizes and educational missions. Division II members encourage and support diversity; value sportsmanship, fairness and equity; and place the highest priority on the overall educational excellence of the student-athlete.