Sun Belt announces men’s soccer preseason honors
NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference announced its preseason honors in men’s soccer today ahead of the start of the season on Friday.
Coastal Carolina senior Frantzdy Pierrot, last year’s Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year, earned an individual honor for the second consecutive season. Georgia Southern junior Emil Laursen, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, earned the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honor.
The All-Sun Belt team and individual awards were based on a vote by the league’s six head coaches.
Pierrot was named to the 2017 MAC Hermann Watch List which honors the national player of the year. He received First Team All-Sun Belt and NSCAA All-Southeast Region honors following the 2016 season. Pierrot led the league in shots (61); shots per game (3.21); and game-winning goals (5) last year and was second in points (21) and points per game (1.11).
Laursen started 13 games for the Eagles and anchored a back line that featured three freshmen. Laursen scored three goals on the season, all game-winning goals.
The men’s soccer season begins this Friday, Aug. 25. The 2017 Sun Belt Men’s Soccer Championship will be hosted by Coastal Carolina from Thursday, Nov. 9 to Sunday, Nov. 12. All matches of the tournament will be televised on ESPN3 and available on the WatchESPN app.
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Frantzdy Pierrot (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Forward)
Blake Wilson (Georgia Southern, Senior, Forward)
Frank Rosenwald (Georgia State, Sophomore, Forward)
Martin Melchor (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Midfielder)
Hannes Burmeister (Georgia State, Junior, Midfielder)
Jamie O’Grady (Hartwick, Senior, Midfielder)
Miguel Gutierrez (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Defender)
Henrik Mueller (Coastal Carolina, Junior, Defender)
Emil Laursen (Georgia Southern, Junior, Defender)
Liam Fitzsimmons (Georgia State, Junior, Defender)
Braulio Linares-Ortiz (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Goalkeeper)
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Frantzdy Pierrot (Coastal Carolina, Senior, Forward)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Emil Laursen (Georgia Southern, Junior, Defender)