Michigan State University Athletics
Spartan Soccer Has Three Earn Preseason Honors Ahead of Season Opener
8/23/2021 2:02:00 PM | Men's Soccer
MSU was picked fifth in B1G preseason poll.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch list on Monday, as announced by the conference office. The Big Ten preseason poll was also release, as voted on by the nine league coaches.
Seniors Michael Miller, Hunter Morse and Farai Mutatu were all honored by the league.
Miller, a native of Normal, Illinois, is a three-year starter for Michigan State. In his Spartan career, the midfielder has played in 56 games, starting 41. Last season, he added two assists for two points.
Morse, a native of Belleville, Michigan, enters his third year in goal for the Spartans. He has started 27 games in goal for Michigan State with three career shutouts. He has a career goals against average of 0.95.
Mutatu, who hails from Haslett, Michigan, earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after the spring 2021 season. After battling injuries much of the year, the forward ended the season with one goal.
Michigan State was selected to finish fifth in this season's preseason Big Ten poll. The Spartans have finished in the top five in the Big Ten standings in eight of the past 10 seasons. In the COVID-19 shortened spring 2021 season, the Spartans finished 4-7 in the conference-only season.
The three-time defending Big Ten regular season and tournament champion Indiana was selected first in the 2021-22 Big Ten preseason poll by the conference's nine head coaches. Penn State was picked second with Michigan earning the third slot. Maryland was voted just ahead of MSU in the fourth spot.
2021 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
1. INDIANA
2. Penn State
3. Michigan
4. Maryland
5. Michigan State
6. Rutgers
7. Ohio State
8. Northwestern
9. Wisconsin
Unanimous selection listed in ALL CAPS
2021 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
Victor Bezerra, Jr., F, Indiana
Roman Celentano, Jr., GK, Indiana
Spencer Glass, Sr., D, Indiana
Ben Bender, So., M, Maryland
Malcolm Johnston, Jr., M, Maryland
Brett St. Martin, Sr., D, Maryland
Bryce Blevins, So., M, Michigan
Quin Rogers, So., M, Michigan
Marc Ybarra, Sr., M, Michigan
Michael Miller, Sr., M, Michigan State
Hunter Morse, Sr., GK, Michigan State
Farai Mutatu, Sr., F, Michigan State
Richard Bennett, Sr., M, Northwestern
Vincente Castro, Jr., M, Northwestern
Jose Del Valle, Jr., F, Northwestern
Xavier Green, Sr., M, Ohio State
Deylen Vellios, So., D, Ohio State
Laurence Wootton, So., M, Ohio State
Danny Bloyou, Sr., F, Penn State
Peter Mangione, So., F, Penn State
Pierre Reedy, Sr., M, Penn State
Oren Asher, Jr., GK, Rutgers
Pablo Ávila, Sr., M, Rutgers
Ritchie Barry, Sr., F, Rutgers
Andrew Akindele, Sr., F, Wisconsin
Tim Bielic, So., M, Wisconsin
Moritz Kappelsberger, Sr., D, Wisconsin
Seniors Michael Miller, Hunter Morse and Farai Mutatu were all honored by the league.
Miller, a native of Normal, Illinois, is a three-year starter for Michigan State. In his Spartan career, the midfielder has played in 56 games, starting 41. Last season, he added two assists for two points.
Morse, a native of Belleville, Michigan, enters his third year in goal for the Spartans. He has started 27 games in goal for Michigan State with three career shutouts. He has a career goals against average of 0.95.
Mutatu, who hails from Haslett, Michigan, earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after the spring 2021 season. After battling injuries much of the year, the forward ended the season with one goal.
Michigan State was selected to finish fifth in this season's preseason Big Ten poll. The Spartans have finished in the top five in the Big Ten standings in eight of the past 10 seasons. In the COVID-19 shortened spring 2021 season, the Spartans finished 4-7 in the conference-only season.
The three-time defending Big Ten regular season and tournament champion Indiana was selected first in the 2021-22 Big Ten preseason poll by the conference's nine head coaches. Penn State was picked second with Michigan earning the third slot. Maryland was voted just ahead of MSU in the fourth spot.
2021 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
1. INDIANA
2. Penn State
3. Michigan
4. Maryland
5. Michigan State
6. Rutgers
7. Ohio State
8. Northwestern
9. Wisconsin
Unanimous selection listed in ALL CAPS
2021 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
Victor Bezerra, Jr., F, Indiana
Roman Celentano, Jr., GK, Indiana
Spencer Glass, Sr., D, Indiana
Ben Bender, So., M, Maryland
Malcolm Johnston, Jr., M, Maryland
Brett St. Martin, Sr., D, Maryland
Bryce Blevins, So., M, Michigan
Quin Rogers, So., M, Michigan
Marc Ybarra, Sr., M, Michigan
Michael Miller, Sr., M, Michigan State
Hunter Morse, Sr., GK, Michigan State
Farai Mutatu, Sr., F, Michigan State
Richard Bennett, Sr., M, Northwestern
Vincente Castro, Jr., M, Northwestern
Jose Del Valle, Jr., F, Northwestern
Xavier Green, Sr., M, Ohio State
Deylen Vellios, So., D, Ohio State
Laurence Wootton, So., M, Ohio State
Danny Bloyou, Sr., F, Penn State
Peter Mangione, So., F, Penn State
Pierre Reedy, Sr., M, Penn State
Oren Asher, Jr., GK, Rutgers
Pablo Ávila, Sr., M, Rutgers
Ritchie Barry, Sr., F, Rutgers
Andrew Akindele, Sr., F, Wisconsin
Tim Bielic, So., M, Wisconsin
Moritz Kappelsberger, Sr., D, Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
Monday, September 14
Monday, August 31
Monday, October 06
Monday, September 29