2023 MASCAC Regular Season and Tournament Champion Bridgewater State was selected by the coaches from around the league to reclaim the 2024 MASCAC Men’s Soccer title in this year’s preseason poll.

In the top spot in the 2024 poll, the Bears received five first place votes. They were 6-0-1 last season and return Co-MASCAC Rookie of the Year Nicholas Ribeiro who finished with a league-leading 10 assists while tallying six goals for 22 points, including four that were game-winners.

Sitting in second is Salem State with the final three first place votes. The Vikings had a 5-2 record in league play in 2023. Reigning MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year James Meli is back for the Vikings. Last season, he  helped the Vikings only allow 18 goals and an 0.89 goals against average with 12 wins, including eight shutouts.

Westfield State is next in third. The Owls were 5-2 last season with help from Carter Hebert who started all 15 games and found the back of the net three times while also assisting on three more goals for nine points. He also added one game-winning goal on the year.

Coming in fourth is Framingham State. The Rams collected a 4-3 mark in MASCAC play in 2023. In his first season with the team, Kaio Santos Da Silva earned All-Conference accolades after tallying six goals and an assist  for 13 points, including two game-winners.

Worcester State lands in fifth. The Lancers bring back Brendan Lower who defensively helped the team shut down their opponents for a .106 shooting percentage while also collecting three goals himself to grab a spot on the All-Conference team.

Fitchburg State is up next in sixth. The Falcons return Elijah Kalombo who drained four goals for eight points last season while going 1-for-1 on penalty kicks and netting a game-winner.

Closing out the 2024 poll are MCLA and Massachusetts Maritime in seventh and eighth, respectively. For the Trailblazers, Marcos Lopez is back after scoring three goals and assisting on another for seven points while nailing two penalty kicks last season. For the Buccaneers, reigning MASCAC Co-Rookie of the Year Brody Calvert looks to repeat his freshman season success which saw him end the regular season with 11 goals, second-most in the MASCAC, plus two assists for 24 points, third most in the conference.

Kicking off the men’s soccer season with non-conference competition, the MASCAC schools return to the pitch Labor Day weekend. Find all the game info and video at mascac.com and mascac.tv.

 

(First Place Votes In Parentheses)

 

1. Bridgewater State (5) - 46 points

2. Salem State (3) - 43 points

3. Westfield State - 37 points

4. Framingham State - 29 points

5. Worcester State - 26 points

6. Fitchburg State - 19 points

7. MCLA - 16 points

8. Massachusetts Maritime - 8 points