Division II National Runner-Up Cal Poly Pomona Picked to Win 2016 CCAA Men’s Soccer Title
SAN RAMON – NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer National runner-up and two-time defending California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament Champion Cal Poly Pomona was predicted to capture the 2016 regular-season conference title following a poll of the league coaches.
The reigning NCAA Division II West Region Champion Broncos collected 137 points and eight first-place votes, just three point ahead of reigning CCAA regular-season Champion Cal State Dominguez Hills, which garnered 134 points and five first-place votes.
Cal State LA followed in third with 126 points, while Sonoma State (100), UC San Diego (97), and Stanislaus State (87) rounded out the Conference’s predicted six-team, post-season tournament field.
Chico State (86) trailed the Warriors by just one vote and therefore lead the bottom half of the standings. The Wildcats were followed by Cal State Monterey Bay (59), Cal State San Marcos (51), San Francisco State (49), Cal State San Bernardino (38), Cal State East Bay (28), Humboldt State (22).
Cal Poly Pomona is coming off of its most successful season in program history, which included an overall record of 15-2-4 and a record of 8-2-2 in CCAA play. CPP reached the national title game for the first time in school history before falling short to top-ranked Pfeiffer, 4-0.
The Broncos squad is without over half of its 2015 starting lineup, including two-time CCAA Offensive Player of the Year Christian Gonzalez Dias. In his fourth season, head coach Yossi Raz will look to the 2015 Conference Freshman of the Year Nadeer Ghantous, Sergi Monso and Eshel Chardon to lead this year’s offensive and defensive efforts.
Cal State Dominguez Hills returned as one of the Conference powerhouse teams last season. With records of 15-3-4 and 9-1-2 (CCAA) the Toros snagged the program’s eighth overall regular-season title and earning its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2011. The team’s largest losses this year are two top offensive players in Pedro Velasquez and Mike Dias, as well as last season’s Defensive Player of the Year Tony Alfaro, who also ranked third in goals scored (6).
Cal State LA, which finished third in the Conference standings concluded its 2015 campaign with a 12-5-3 record, earning the program’s fifth-straight trip to NCAA Division II playoffs. The Golden Eagles roster of nine returners and 19 newcomers is highlighted by senior forward Troy Dumlao, who is one of the Conference’s top two returning scorers for last season.
Sonoma State returned to post-season play in 2015 after snagging the sixth seed in last year’s CCAA Tournament. Despite graduating two key players — Brenton Frame and Sean Callahan — the Seawolves bring back offensive leaders in TJ Perez and Armando Coronel, collectively scoring 12 of 30 SSU goals in 2015. Defensively, junior keeper Mitch North returns after averaging 4.81 saves and allowing 1.3 goals per game last season.
The 2016 Men’s Soccer Tournament will continue its six-team format and play is schedule to begin Tuesday, Nov. 1 at campus sites. Semifinal and Final rounds return to Warrior Stadium after a one year hiatus and are set for Friday, Nov. 4 and Sunday, Nov. 6, respectively.
Three teams were named in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) NCAA Division II Preseason national rankings, released earlier this month. Cal Poly Pomona kicks off its 2016 campaign at No. 4, while Cal State Dominguez Hills debuts at No. 13 and Cal State LA at No. 24.
The 2016 season begins on Thurs., Sept. 1 with 11-of-13 teams in action. Cal State Monterey Bay and San Francisco State open CCAA play on Wed., Sept. 14 in San Francisco.
2016 CCAA Men's Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll
|
| Rank |
Insitution |
Points (first-place votes) |
| 1. |
Cal Poly Pomona |
137 (8) |
| 2. |
Cal State Dominguez Hills |
134 (5) |
| 3. |
Cal State LA |
126 |
| 4. |
Sonoma State |
100 |
| 5. |
UC San Diego |
97 |
| 6. |
Stanislaus State |
87 |
| 7. |
Chico State |
86 |
| 8. |
Cal State Monterey Bay |
59 |
| 9. |
Cal State San Marcos |
51 |
| 10. |
San Francisco State |
49 |
| 11. |
Cal State San Bernardino |
38 |
| 12. |
Cal State East Bay |
28 |
| 13. |
Humboldt State |
22 |