Stanford leads nation and Pac-12 Men’s Soccer

PREVIEWING THE WEEK: No. 16 WASHINGTON kicks off the week against No. 22 Gonzaga on Thursday. No. 1 STANFORD (vs. SMU), CALIFORNIA (vs. Portland), and SAN DIEGO STATE (vs. Utah Valley) all play teams that received votes in this week’s United Soccer Coaches national poll.

IN THE RANKINGS: Stanford tops the United Soccer Coaches Poll for the second week in a row after being named the preseason favorite. Washington is No. 16 and UCLA is No. 25.

WEEKLY RECAP: No. 1 Stanford beat then-No. 23 Creighton (3-0) on Friday to kick off Pac-12 men’s soccer for the week. The Cardinal ended the weekend 2-0 after also defeating Northeastern (1-0). Stanford is currently tied for first in the nation in won-lost-tied percentage with its 3-0 record.

INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL STATS LEADERS: Stanford’s Foster Langsdorf is fourth in game-winning goals (2), first in goals per game (1.67), second in points per game (3.33), tied for first in total goals (5), and fourth in total points (10). His teammate Nico Corti is first in goals against average (0.00), tied for first in save percentage (1.000), and third in shutouts (3). Stanford’s Corey Baird is 1th in total assists (3).

TEAM NATIONAL STATS LEADERS: No. 1 Stanford is third in the nation in assists per game (4.0), sixth in points per game (9.33), and tied for first in save percentage (1.000), shutout percentage (1.00), team goals against average (0.00), and won-lost tied percentage (1.000). Oregon State is eighth in corner kicks per game (8.50).

MAC HERMANN WATCH LIST: San Diego State’s Pablo Pelaez, and Stanford’s Tomas Hilliard-Arce and Foster Langsdorf represent the Pac-12 on the preseason MAC Hermann trophy watch list. Twenty-eight players from NCAA Division I schools around the country have been marked as potential contenders for the 2017 Missouri Athletic Club’s (MAC) Hermann Trophy. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer, presented annually to one male and one female athlete.

TOPDRAWERSOCCER PRESEASON BEST XI: Seven Pac-12 student-athletes appear on the TopDrawerSoccer Preseason Best XI. Stanford tied for the most of any school with four players featured on the teams. Stanford’s Tomas Hilliard-Arce was selected for the first team; San Diego State’s Pablo Pelaez and Stanford’s Foster Langsdorf are on the second team; Stanford’s Drew Skundrich is on the third team; and UCLA’s Brandon Terwege, Stanford’s Logan Panchot, and Washington’s Blake Bodily are on the freshman team.

PRESEASON COACHES POLL: Breaking a seven-year streak, the Pac-12 coaches tabbed Stanford as the 2017 favorite over rival UCLA, which is ranked second in the preseason coaches poll. Washington followed in third, San Diego State is fourth, and Oregon State edged out California for fifth and sixth, respectively.

PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12: Stanford’s 2016 co-Pac-12 Player of the Year Foster Langsdorf and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Tomas Hilliard-Arce highlight the star-studded 2017 Preseason All-Pac-12 team. 2016 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Washington’s Handwalla Bwana, UCLA’s junior Erik Holt, and SDSU’s senior Adam Allmaras also appear on the team.

2016 PAC-12 MEN’S SOCCER IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT: Four Pac-12 men’s soccer teams were selected to participate in the 2016 NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship, tied for the second-most conference representatives in the field-Stanford, Washington, San Diego State, and UCLA. Stanford went on to win its second consecutive NCAA title after defeating Wake Forest, becoming the first repeat champion since Indiana in 2003-04.

CONFERENCE STANDINGS

UPCOMING SCHEDULE (all times pacific)

2017 PAC-12 MEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

THIS WEEK: Foster Langsdorf, SR, F, Vancouver, Wash., STAN

ALSO NOMINATED: Jordan Jones, OSU.

 NATIONAL HONORS

MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
Pablo Pelaez, SDSU; Tomas Hilliard-Arce, STAN; Foster Langsdorf, STAN

IN THE PRESEASON

Pac-12 Preseason Poll | United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll