Rebels Picked To Finish Second In The WAC
Three Rebels named Preseason All-WAC
8/15/2018
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – For the third time in the past five years, UNLV men’s soccer has been picked to finish second in the Western Athletic Conference as the league office announced the 2018 WAC Preseason Coaches Poll Wednesday morning. In addition, three Rebels were named to the Preseason All-WAC squad, the second-highest number in the conference behind preseason favorite Seattle’s four representatives. This marks the first time since 2015 that UNLV placed three on the team.
Making a repeat appearance on the preseason team is junior midfielder Timo Mehlich, (Mönchengladbach, Germany). He claimed first-time All-WAC honors and second-team all-region recognition in 2017 after posting 16 points off five goals and six assists. Sophomore forward Marco Gonzalez (Las Vegas) was the Rebels’ second-leading scorer as a freshman, notching six goals and six assists for 18 points, and joined Mehlich in posting three game-winning goals for the year. Senior defender Adam Musovski is the third Rebel on the preseason team, coming off an outstanding season on the backline that earned him First Team All-WAC honors. This marks the fourth straight year a Musovski has been named to the Preseason All-WAC squad, as his brother Danny was a member of three straight teams from 2015-17.
The Rebels return seven of 11 starters from last year’s squad that posted an 11-9-1 mark while tying for second in the conference standings with 18 points (6-3 WAC record).
They received 105 total points in the poll to place second, narrowly ahead of third place Air Force (104 points). Seattle received nine first-place votes to place first in the preseason poll with 119, while Air Force has the remaining three first place votes. Grouped close together was fourth place San Jose State (84), fifth place Utah Valley (79) and Grand Canyon in sixth (75). Rounding out the poll, CSU Bakersfield was seventh (55), UTRGV eighth (49), UMKC ninth (38), new league member Cal Baptist was 10th (30), Houston Baptist 11th (28), and Incarnate Word finished the poll in 12th with 26 points.
UNLV opens the season on the road for the sixth straight year, beginning with a Friday, Aug. 24 contest against Florida Atlantic (3 pm) on the Utah Valley campus, the first of four straight games for the Rebels away from Las Vegas. The home opener will be on Friday, Sept. 7, against Wofford at 7 pm at Peter Johann Memorial Field on Alumni Weekend, which kicks off earlier that day with the annual Alumni Game at 5 pm. Once again the Rebel Soccer Foundation will host a free tailgate party before each home game, open to all ticket holders with free food and drinks.
Tickets are on sale now for the 2018 UNLV men’s soccer season. Season tickets are just $35 for adults, $25 for UNLV faculty/staff and seniors. Single game ticket prices this season are $8 for adults, $6 for faculty/staff and seniors, though a special internet price of $5 is available for all tickets bought online at UNLVTickets.com, good up to three hours before game time. New this year at UNLV, all students in elementary, middle and high schools will receive free admission to the sports of men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, women’s basketball, softball and baseball. Kids not yet of elementary school age will continue to receive free entry to all UNLV Olympic Sports.
2018 WAC Preseason Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Poll
Place Team (1st place votes) Votes
1. Seattle (9) – 119
2. UNLV – 105
3. Air Force – 104
4. San Jose State – 84
5. Utah Valley – 79
6. Grand Canyon – 75
7. CSU Bakersfield – 55
8. UTRGV – 49
9. UMKC – 38
10. Cal Baptist – 30
11. Houston Baptist – 28
12. UIW – 26
2018 Preseason All-WAC Team
Tucker Bone, Sr., F, Air Force
Austin Dewing, Sr., F, Air Force
Marco Gonzalez, So., F, UNLV
Josh Drack, So., MF, Grand Canyon
Timo Mehlich, Jr., MF, UNLV
Sergio Rivas, Sr., MF, Seattle
Nathan Aune, Sr., D, Seattle
Anthony Ayala, Sr., D, Seattle
Adam Musovski, Sr., D, UNLV
Andy Rios, Sr., D, San Jose State
Josh Adachi, Sr., GK, Seattle
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Sergio Rivas, Seattle
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Nathan Aune, Seattle
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