Tulsa Named Unanimous Favorite in American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll; Hurricane Sweeps Preseason Individual Honors

The Tulsa men's soccer team was selected as the unanimous preseason favorite in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's coaches. Alex Meinhard, Mariano Fazio and Alex Lopez were named as The American Preseason Offensive, Defensive and Goalkeeper of the Year, respectively. That trio were all unanimous selections to the preseason all-conference team, while Henry Sach was also tabbed to the team.

UCF was selected second by the league's coaches, while Charlotte and FIU were tied for third. SMU, South Florida, Memphis, FAU, Temple and UAB rounded out the poll.

TU, the reigning conference regular season and tournament champions, return 17 letterwinners, including seven starters from last season, as well as four returning squad members and welcomed 15 newcomers to the roster. The Golden Hurricane returns 81-percent of its goal scoring and all but two starters from the back field from a year ago.

A junior from Tartu, Estonia, Meinhard is the reigning two-time American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year. He had a team-leading 12 goals and 26 points a year ago. He ended the season ranked first in the nation in penalty kicks (1.00), 15th in total goals (12), 22nd in game-winning goals (4) and 25th in total points (26). Meinhard was named to the NCAA Division I Men's East Region first team, was tabbed to the Top Drawer Soccer Best XI first team and picked up all-conference first team honors last year.

Fazio, a senior defender from Sevilla, Spain, tallied two goals last season, while helping TU record nine shutouts. He picked up 2021 NCAA Division I Men's All-America third team honors and East Region first team accolades. Fazio was also named as the American Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the Year, and earned all-conference first team and all-tournament team honors last season.

A sophomore from Madrid, Spain, Lopez ended the 2021 season ranked seventh in the nation in goals-against average (0.723), 36th in shutouts (6), 38th in saves percentage (0.768), 52nd in goalie minutes played (1617:20) and 141st in total saves (43). He was named to the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's East Region second team, was tabbed as the Top Drawer Soccer Freshman of the Year and to the Freshman Best XI first team, was selected as The American Goalkeeper of the Year and Rookie of the Year, and picked up both all-conference first team and all-rookie team honors.

Sach, a senior from Benitachell, Spain, registered two goals and two assists for six points last season while helping Tulsa record nine clean sheets. He was named The American Midfielder of the Year and picked up all-conference first team accolades last season after earning all-conference second team honors as a junior.

Preseason Coaches Poll

1.	Tulsa (9)	81
2.	UCF	66
3.	Charlotte	60
	FIU (1)	60
5.	SMU	58
6.	South Florida	36
7.	Memphis	31
8.	Florida Atlantic	27
9.	Temple	14
10.	UAB	14

Offensive Player of the Year
Alex Meinhard, Jr., F, Tulsa

Defensive Player of the Year
Mariano Fazio, Sr., D, Tulsa

Goalkeeper of the Year
Alex Lopez, So., Tulsa*

Preseason All-Conference Team
Lucca Dourado, Jr., F, UCF*
Anderson Rosa, Jr., D, UCF
Gino Vivi, Sr., F, UCF
Tom Abrahamsson, Sr., D, Florida Atlantic
Stephen Afrifa, Jr., F, FIU
Bernardo Dos Santos Monteiro, So., F, FIU
Matteo Gasperoni, Gr., M, FIU
Sal Mazzaferro, Jr., D, South Florida
Shion Soga, So., M, South Florida
Knut Ahlander, Gr., M, SMU
Mariano Fazio, Sr., D, Tulsa*
Alex Lopez, So., GK, Tulsa*
Alex Meinhard, Jr., F, Tulsa*
Henry Sach, Sr., M, Tulsa

* denotes unanimous selection

Tulsa Named Unanimous Favorite in American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll; Hurricane Sweeps Preseason Individual Honors

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Players Mentioned

Mariano Fazio

Alex Lopez

Alex Meinhard

Henry Sach

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