Men's Soccer Places Four on Preseason All-Patriot League Team, Bison Picked 3rd

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Year after year, the chase for Patriot League men's soccer postseason seeding is hotly contested all the way through the final weekend, and the competitive nature of the league is reflected in the annual preseason poll, which was released on Monday. Four different teams received multiple first-place votes, and the defending-champion Bison were picked third in the poll, not far behind Navy and Boston University.

Bucknell also placed a league-high four players on the 11-man Preseason All-Patriot League Team: forward Jesse Klug, midfielder Chris Thorsheim, fullback Zack Rockmore and goalkeeper Clarke Fox.

The Bison finished in fifth place in the regular season a year ago, then went on a rampage in the Patriot League Tournament, toppling Lehigh, Navy and top-seeded Boston University en route to their fourth championship in the last nine years. Eight starters are back in 2015.

Navy earned 11 first-place votes and 152 points to take the top spot in the preseason poll. Boston University was picked second with 141 points and five first-place votes. Bucknell (135) and American (118) recorded two first-place votes apiece, while Lehigh (90), Army West Point (85), Colgate (53), Lehigh (52), Holy Cross (49) and Lafayette (25) rounded out the poll.

Klug was the Patriot League's No. 2 scorer last year with 27 points on 11 goals and five assists, and he enters his senior year already ranked in the top 10 in program history in goals (24) and points (60). He is a two-time All-Patriot League and two-time All-Mid-Atlantic Region selection.

Thorsheim was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List last week, and he returns for his senior campaign as one of the league's premier central midfielders. Last season he ranked second in the Patriot League with seven assists -- two coming in a 3-2 victory over Boston University in the league title game -- and also chipped in four goals. He scored a career-high eight goals in 2013, and he enters his final year with 36 points on 12 goals and 12 assists in his career.

Rockmore enjoyed an outstanding debut season for the Bison in 2014 after transferring in from Boston College. The big center back started 22 of the team's 23 games and played just about every minute in those appearances. He anchored a back line that contributed to eight shutouts last season.

Fox has shared time with classmate Mike Lansing over the past three seasons, giving Bucknell one of the best goalkeeper duos around. Fox saw the most action of his career last season, starting 14 times and posting a .783 save percentage and 0.88 goals-against average. He was between the pipes for all three Patriot League Tournament games -- his save in the penalty shootout against Navy sent the Bison to the championship game -- and the NCAA Tournament contest at UNC Wilmington, and he finished 7-4-2 with six shutouts.

Navy's Jamie Dubyoski was picked as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, and Army West Point's Christian Clark was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Bucknell has away scrimmages against No. 13 Maryland and Monmouth later this week, and then the Bison open up the 2015 season at home against La Salle on Friday, Aug. 28.