ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten announced its 2023 men's soccer preseason honors Monday afternoon, naming Matthew Acosta, Jason Bouregy and Joey Zalinsky as Players to Watch. The 2022 Big Ten Tournament Champions were also picked to finish fourth in the conference standings.
This marks the second consecutive season Acosta has been chosen as a Big Ten Player to Watch, following an outstanding sophomore season. He started all 21 games of the 2022 campaign and led the team with 1,742 minutes played. The Annandale, New Jersey product also scored two goals in the final month of the season against both Penn State (Oct. 25) and Indiana (Nov. 13) in the Big Ten Tournament Championship. In addition, Acosta added three assists for seven total points.
An All-Big Ten and ECAC Second Team pick, Bouregy enjoyed a breakout year last fall. Playing in 20 games and making 16 starts, the senior netted three goals in 2022, including back-to-back Big Ten game-winners versus Northwestern (Sept. 17) and Wisconsin (Sept. 23). He also added eight assists, which tied to pace the team and ranked second in the Big Ten. The Paramus, New Jersey native ended the season with 14 points to rank third for RU.
Zalinsky was another Scarlet Knight who boasted an impressive sophomore year as one of the most important pieces of the Rutgers' defensive unit. He started all 19 games he was available for and played the entire contest all but twice, ranking second on the team with 1,695 minutes. The Brick, New Jersey product scored his first career goal against Creighton (Aug. 28) on his only shot on frame all season. Zalinsky also added an assist at Penn State (Oct. 25) to end the season with the first 3 points of his career.
All three Scarlet Knights were also 2022 Fall Academic All-Big Ten selections.
Rutgers returns 22 players from its 2022 Big Ten Tournament title team including two graduate students, Jackson Temple and Chris Tiao. Jim McElderry also returns for his fifth season at the helm of the Scarlet Knights, along with his staff who was named United Soccer Coaches North Region Staff of the Year.
The Scarlet Knights will begin the 2023 fall slate on the road at Delaware on Thursday, Aug. 24 (7 p.m.) before playing their home opener at Yurcak Field against St. John's on Monday, Aug. 28 (7:30 p.m.).
2023 Big Ten Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
- Maryland
- Indiana
- Ohio State
- Rutgers
- Penn State
- Wisconsin
- Michigan State
- Northwestern
- Michigan
2023 Big Ten Players to Watch
Patrick McDonald, Jr., M, Indiana
Collins Oduro, Fr., F, Indiana
Sam Sarver, Jr., F, Indiana
Stefan Copetti, Sr., F, Maryland
Alex Nitzl, Sr., D/M, Maryland
Bjarne Thiesen, Gr., D, Maryland
Bryce Blevins, Sr., M, Michigan
Jason Bucknor, Jr., D, Michigan
Louis Rogers, Sr., M, Michigan
Ugo Achara, Gr., F, Northwestern
Jason Gajadhar, So., M, Northwestern
Justin Weiss, Sr., F, Northwestern
Greyson Mercer, Sr., F, Michigan State
Jake Spadafora, So., F, Michigan State
Jonathan Stout, So., M, Michigan State
Anthony Samways, Jr., D, Ohio State
Deylen Vellios, Sr., D, Ohio State
Laurence Wootton, Sr., M, Ohio State
Femi Awodesu, Sr., D, Penn State
Peter Mangione, Sr., M, Penn State
Kris Shakes, Gr., GK, Penn State
Matthew Acosta, Jr., M, Rutgers
Jason Bouregy, Sr., F, Rutgers
Joey Zalinsky, Jr., D, Rutgers
Tim Bielic, Gr., M, Wisconsin
Nate Crockford, Jr., GK, Wisconsin
Maxwell Keenan, Sr., M, Wisconsin
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