Thomas More tabbed PAC men’s soccer preseason favorite 8/18/2016 1:00:54 PM GREENVILLE, Pa. (pacathletics.org) -- Thomas More College was selected as the 2016 favorite in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) men's soccer preseason coaches' poll, as voted on by the league's nine head coaches. The results of the preseason coaches’ poll were unveiled along with the league's players to watch list Thursday. Thomas More, led by second-year head coach Eric Busener, collected six first-place votes and 78 total points to earn the top spot on the preseason coaches' poll for the fourth-straight year. Grove City College picked up one first-place vote and 65 points to finish second, while Geneva College secured one first-place vote and finished third with 64 points. Washington & Jefferson College checked in at number four with 56 points while 2015 PAC Championship Tournament winner Westminster College collected the final first-place vote to finish fifth with 51 points. Thomas More returns eight starters and 23 letter winners in 2016 and enters the season as one of 10 schools also receiving votes in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) NCAA Division III preseason ranking. The Saints, despite watching their six-year run as league champions come to an end following a 2-1 semifinal loss to eventual conference tournament title winner Westminster last fall, earned the program’s seventh-straight appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship. The 2016 players to watch list includes a pair of 2015 All-PAC first team selections in Thomas More seniors Tim Knauer (Batavia, Ohio / Batavia) and Brian Runyon (Parkersburg, W.Va. / Parkersburg). Knauer, a midfielder, started 18 matches last fall and helped the Saints post seven shutouts, including five against league counterparts. Runyon, a forward, started 17 matches last season and finished second in the PAC in points (44), goals (17) and assists (10). Both Knauer and Runyon earned NSCAA Division III All-Great Lakes Region honors last fall. This year's players to watch list also includes seven 2015 second team All-PAC selections and seven members of the 2015 PAC Fall academic honor roll. The PAC's academic honor roll recognizes student-athletes on varsity sports teams who have earned a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.6 or higher on a 4.0 scale during their semester of competition. The men's soccer season kicks off Thursday, September 1 with Thomas More traveling to Denison University (7 p.m.) and W&J traveling to Point Park University (7 p.m.). The league’s regular season concludes Saturday, October 29 with the four-team PAC Championship Tournament scheduled to get underway Tuesday, November 1. 2016 PAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll School (first-place votes) Points 2015 Record (PAC) 1. Thomas More College (6) 78 16-3-1 (8-0) 2. Grove City College (1) 65 12-7-1 (6-2) 3. Geneva College (1) 64 13-5-4 (6-1-1) 4. Washington & Jefferson College 56 9-7-2 (4-4) 5. Westminster College (1) 51 11-6-4 (5-2-1) 6. Saint Vincent College 28 2-15-2 (1-6-1) 7. Waynesburg University 26 1-16-1 (1-6-1) 8. Bethany College 25 5-12-2 (1-6-1) 9. Thiel College 12 3-14-1 (1-6-1) 2016 PAC Men's Soccer Players to Watch Bethany Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Adam Franco Jr. MF Inglewood, Calif. / Eisenhower Marlon Mejia So. D West Melbourne, Fla. / Covenant Christian Jay O'Donnell So. MF Cardiff, Wales / Radyr Comprehensive Jack Waters Jr. MF Epsom, United Kingdom / Glyn School Geneva Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Abel Carleton Jr. F Darlington, Pa. / Beaver County Christian Gib McCracken Jr. D Beaver Falls, Pa. / Beaver County Christian Jonathan Shoaf Sr. MF Virginia Beach, Va. / Norfolk Christian Academy Grove City Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Blake Baer Jr. MF Bedford, Pa. / Bedford Jon Burton So. MF Columbus, Ohio / Worthington Christian Dale Reese Sr. MF Rocky Hill, Conn. / Loomis Chaffee Thiel Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Josh Evjene So. MF Orrstown, Pa. / Chambersburg Jordan Lilley Jr. F Jamestown, Ohio / Greeneview Zach Oliver So. F Bridgeport, Ohio / St. Clairsville Hunter Young Jr. MF Columbus, Ohio / Thomas Worthington Thomas More Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Sulieman Kayed So. MF Union, Ky. / Ryle Tim Knauer Sr. MF Batavia, Ohio / Batavia Alex Panaro Sr. MF Lawrenceburgh, Ind. / Lawrenceburg Brian Runyon Sr. F Parkersburg, W.Va. / Parkersburg W&J Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Justin Carter Sr. MF Allison Park, Pa. / Hampton Jason Menni Sr. F McKees Rocks, Pa. / Montour Paul Mokrzan So. MF Hilliard, Ohio / Watterson Justin Nolfi Sr. F Irwin, Pa. / Greensburg Central Catholic Waynesburg Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Josh Hennigh Sr. D Harrisburg, Pa. / Hershey Christian James Snyder So. GK Gastonville, Pa. / Ringgold Westminster Name Yr. Pos. Hometown / High School Shane Fallen So. D Blue Bell, Pa. / Wissahickon Grant Gagnon Jr. MF Johnstown, Pa. / Westmont Hilltop Zach Medarac So. D Beaver Falls, Pa. / Blackhawk Zack Walters Jr. MF Hermitage, Pa. / Hickory