EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University is tied for third in the PSAC men's soccer coaches poll for the 2010 season, the conference announced Friday.
The Warriors and Slippery Rock are tied for third, behind preseason favorite Mercyhurst and Millersville. Slippery Rock is the defending conference tournament champion, while Mercyhurst and Millersville won the western and eastern division regular season titles, respectively.
This season marks a return to the PSAC's single-division format that was in place from 1993 until 2007, with all 10 schools competing for four playoff spots. The conference was split into eastern and western divisions the last two years.
ESU has won 13 of the last 18 PSAC championships under head coach
Jerry Sheska, who enters his 29th season ranked fifth in Division II with 411 career victories. Sheska's teams have won15 total PSAC titles and made 16 appearances in the NCAA Division II tournament.
Last year's squad finished with an 11-8-1 record and was two games out of a PSAC playoff berth, but will look to rebound with six returning starters and the return of All-America back
Danny Drago, who didn't play in a conference game last season.
The Warriors, bolstered by Drago's return, should be strong at the back with four players with starting experience.
Michael Kane, a redshirt senior, was an NSCAA All-Region and All-PSAC East selection last year and is in his third year as a starter, and senior
Josh Arcona and sophomore
Suane McLeish were both starters last season. Senior
Troy Hernandez has started nine games in goal over the last two years.
Offensively, Sheska's club must replace 27 of its 35 goals from last season. Junior midfielder
Greg Schook is the top returning scorer with five goals and two assists, junior midfielder
Jeremy Cheeseman had two goals and an assist and Drago had a goal and an assist in four games.
PSAC preseason poll
1. Mercyhurst (7)
2. Millersville (2)
t-3. ESU
t-3. Slippery Rock (1)
5. California
6. Gannon
7. Bloomsburg
8. West Chester
9. Lock Haven
10. Shippensburg
