MSOC Ranked In Top 25 of Final Polls
Dec 15 | Men's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - After accumulating 12 wins during the 2015 campaign, the most for the program in 14 seasons, and returning to the NCAA Tournament, the Rutgers men's soccer program landed in the Top 25 of the final NSCAA and College Soccer News Polls.
The Scarlet Knights, guided by Big Ten Coach of the Year Dan Donigan, concluded the season at 12-7-2 overall, the most victories since the 2001 season. Along the way, RU posted eight shutouts, the most by the program since 1998. Rutgers returned to the polls in the midst of its seven-game win streak in October, as the Scarlet Knights strung together the most victories since 1997. RU reached the semifinals of the Big Ten Tourament and advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
Sophomore Jason Wright (Kingston, Jamaica) was lauded as a Second Team All-American by the NSCAA and was a unanimous selection as Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Wright led Rutgers with 31 points (13G, 5A) and ranked among the top 10 nationally and led the Big Ten in goals (13), total points (31) and game winners (5).
Senior defender Mitch Lurie (Atlanta, Ga.) and senior midfielder Mitchell Taintor (Storrs, Conn.), who were invited earlier this week to be one of 59 NCAA Division I College Players at the 2016 MLS Combine, were both Second Team All-Region and Big Ten honorees.
Lurie led Rutgers with six assists and helped bolster a Scarlet Knight defense that produced eight clean sheets, including contests with nationally-ranked Michigan and Ohio State, as well as Northwestern (Nov. 8) in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
Taintor captured 15 points (5G, 5A) for the Scarlet Knights in 2015, including both tallies in RU's 2-0 Big Ten quarterfinal victory over Northwestern. Second on the team in assists with five, he notched the helper on the game-winning goal in Rutgers' 4-2 victory over Northwestern during the regular season and at No. 5 Akron in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Goalkeeper David Greczek (Fairfield, N.J.) was also a Second Team All-Big Ten award winner. Second among Big Ten netminders with 83 saves, he is currently fourth all-time at Rutgers in the category and ranks 10th in career saves (271) and seventh in career saves per game (4.67) among active Division I goalkeepers.
Freshman forward Brian Hawkins (Chesterfield, N.J.) also collected conference honors in his rookie season as unanimous selection to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Hawkins started 14 of his 21 appearances with seven points (2G, 3A).
The Scarlet Knights ended the year leading the Big Ten in seven statistical categories and ranked among the top 20 nationally in six categories including points (123), goals (41), assists (41) and scoring offense (1.95).
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersMensSoccer) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/RUMensSoccer) for all of the latest news and updates. Fans also receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on both social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com.
