Mercer, Spadafora and Stout Named Big Ten Men’s Soccer Players to Watch
8/21/2023 2:52:00 PM | Men's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List, as announced by the conference office on Monday.
Senior forward Greyson Mercer along with sophomore forwards Jake Spadafora and Jonathan Stout were all honored by the league.
The Big Ten preseason poll was also released Monday, as voted on by the nine conference coaches. MSU was voted to pick seventh, while Maryland was once again picked to win the league. The 2022 NCAA runner-up Indiana was chosen second, with Ohio State standing third.
Mercer, who hails from Heber City, Utah, enters his fourth season with the Spartans. He was named to the preseason list last season as well. In 2022, Mercer was second on the team in scoring with four goals and two assists for 10 points, playing in all 17 games.
Stout, a native of Wyoming, Michigan, led the team in scoring last season with four goals and four assists for 12 points. He shared Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year honors as a rookie, as well as being named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Stout played in 12 games as a freshman.
Spadafora, who hails from Northville, Michigan, played in 16 games last season, starting 13. He had one goal and one assist for three points during his rookie campaign, scoring the game-winning goal in the season opener against Army in 2022. He also joined Stout as a member of the All-Freshman Team.
Michigan State opens the regular season against Loyola Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium.
2023 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
1. Maryland
2. Indiana
3. Ohio State
4. Rutgers
5. Penn State
6. Wisconsin
7. Michigan State
8. Northwestern
9. Michigan
2023 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
Patrick McDonald, Jr., M, Indiana
Collins Oduro, Fr., F, Indiana
Sam Sarver, Jr., F, Indiana
Stefan Copetti, Sr., F, Maryland
Alex Nitzl, Sr., D/M, Maryland
Bjarne Thiesen, Gr., D, Maryland
Bryce Blevins, Sr., M, Michigan
Jason Bucknor, Jr., D, Michigan
Louis Rogers, Sr., M, Michigan
Greyson Mercer, Sr., F, Michigan State
Jake Spadafora, So., F, Michigan State
Jonathan Stout, So., M, Michigan State
Ugo Achara, Gr., F, Northwestern
Jason Gajadhar, So., M, Northwestern
Justin Weiss, Sr., F, Northwestern
Anthony Samways, Jr., D, Ohio State
Deylen Vellios, Sr., D, Ohio State
Laurence Wootton, Sr., M, Ohio State
Femi Awodesu, Sr., D, Penn State
Peter Mangione, Sr., M, Penn State
Kris Shakes, Gr., GK, Penn State
Matthew Acosta, Jr., M, Rutgers
Jason Bouregy, Sr., F, Rutgers
Joey Zalinsky, Jr., D, Rutgers
Tim Bielic, Gr., M, Wisconsin
Nate Crockford, Jr., GK, Wisconsin
Maxwell Keenan, Sr., M, Wisconsin
Senior forward Greyson Mercer along with sophomore forwards Jake Spadafora and Jonathan Stout were all honored by the league.
The Big Ten preseason poll was also released Monday, as voted on by the nine conference coaches. MSU was voted to pick seventh, while Maryland was once again picked to win the league. The 2022 NCAA runner-up Indiana was chosen second, with Ohio State standing third.
Mercer, who hails from Heber City, Utah, enters his fourth season with the Spartans. He was named to the preseason list last season as well. In 2022, Mercer was second on the team in scoring with four goals and two assists for 10 points, playing in all 17 games.
Stout, a native of Wyoming, Michigan, led the team in scoring last season with four goals and four assists for 12 points. He shared Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year honors as a rookie, as well as being named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Stout played in 12 games as a freshman.
Spadafora, who hails from Northville, Michigan, played in 16 games last season, starting 13. He had one goal and one assist for three points during his rookie campaign, scoring the game-winning goal in the season opener against Army in 2022. He also joined Stout as a member of the All-Freshman Team.
Michigan State opens the regular season against Loyola Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium.
2023 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
1. Maryland
2. Indiana
3. Ohio State
4. Rutgers
5. Penn State
6. Wisconsin
7. Michigan State
8. Northwestern
9. Michigan
2023 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
Patrick McDonald, Jr., M, Indiana
Collins Oduro, Fr., F, Indiana
Sam Sarver, Jr., F, Indiana
Stefan Copetti, Sr., F, Maryland
Alex Nitzl, Sr., D/M, Maryland
Bjarne Thiesen, Gr., D, Maryland
Bryce Blevins, Sr., M, Michigan
Jason Bucknor, Jr., D, Michigan
Louis Rogers, Sr., M, Michigan
Greyson Mercer, Sr., F, Michigan State
Jake Spadafora, So., F, Michigan State
Jonathan Stout, So., M, Michigan State
Ugo Achara, Gr., F, Northwestern
Jason Gajadhar, So., M, Northwestern
Justin Weiss, Sr., F, Northwestern
Anthony Samways, Jr., D, Ohio State
Deylen Vellios, Sr., D, Ohio State
Laurence Wootton, Sr., M, Ohio State
Femi Awodesu, Sr., D, Penn State
Peter Mangione, Sr., M, Penn State
Kris Shakes, Gr., GK, Penn State
Matthew Acosta, Jr., M, Rutgers
Jason Bouregy, Sr., F, Rutgers
Joey Zalinsky, Jr., D, Rutgers
Tim Bielic, Gr., M, Wisconsin
Nate Crockford, Jr., GK, Wisconsin
Maxwell Keenan, Sr., M, Wisconsin
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