Photo by: Allison Mize/Maryland Terrapins
Kelly, Merritt and Munson Named Big Ten Men’s Soccer Players to Watch
8/19/2025 2:04:00 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 Tuesday.
Senior goalkeeper Zac Kelly, junior midfielder Miles Merritt and sophomore Brandon Munson were all honored by the league.
The Big Ten preseason poll was also released Tuesday, as voted on by the 11 conference coaches. Perennial favorites Indiana was picked first, while Maryland and Ohio State were voted second and third, respectively. Michigan State was picked to finish to finish seventh.
Kelly, who hails from Holt, Michigan, is the reigning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. He is also one of the Spartans' three captains along with senior Josh Adam and junior Will Eby. Last season, he was the first Michigan State athlete to earn B1G Goalkeeper of the Year honors since Jimmy Hague in 2017. Kelly started all 17 games for MSU last season, earning seven shutouts.
Merritt, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was named a United Soccer Coaches Midfielder to Watch. The midfielder is in his first season with the Spartans after playing two years at Incarnate Word. He played in 16 games in 2024, scoring one goal.
Munson, a sophomore who hails from Spring Hill, Florida, was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team last season. The defender played in 14 games before sustaining a season-ending injury that kept him out of the final two games of the season.
Michigan State opens the regular season against UC Riverside on Thursday, Aug. 21 at 5 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium. It is the first half of a doubleheader with the MSU women's team, who will take on NC State at 7:30 p.m.
2025 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
1. Indiana
2. Maryland
3. Ohio State
4. UCLA
5. Washington
6. Michigan
7. Michigan State
8. Wisconsin
9. Rutgers
10. Penn State
11. Northwestern
2025 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
Palmer Ault, Sr., F, Indiana
Josh Maher, So., D, Indiana
Collins Oduru, Jr., M, Indiana
Luca Costabile, Sr., D, Maryland
Leon Koehl, Jr., M, Maryland
Sadam Masereka, Sr., F, Maryland
Raymundo Mendez, Gr., M/F, Michigan
Nolan Miller, Sr., D, Michigan
Shuma Sasaki, Gr., F/M, Michigan
Zac Kelly, Sr., GK, Michigan State
Miles Merritt, Jr., M, Michigan State
Brandon Munson, So., D, Michigan State
Jason Gajadhar, Sr., M, Northwestern
Nigel Prince, Sr., D, Northwestern
Fritz Volmar, Jr., D, Northwestern
Marko Borkovic, Sr., F, Ohio State
Thomas Gilej, Gr., M, Ohio State
Luciano Pechota, Sr., M, Ohio State
Malick Daouda, So., M, Penn State
Caden Grabfelder, Jr., M, Penn State
Kai Phillip, Gr., F, Penn State
Nick Collins, Jr., D, Rutgers
Ciaran Dalton, Sr., GK, Rutgers
Joschi Schelb, Jr., M, Rutgers
Drew Brown, Sr., D, UCLA
Sergi Solans Ormo, So., F, UCLA
Tamir Ratoviz, So., M, UCLA
Egor Akulov, Sr., D, Washington
Richie Aman, Sr., F, Washington
Charlie Kosakoff, Jr., F, Washington
Matisse Hebert, So., GK, Wisconsin
Ellis Jones, Jr., D, Wisconsin
Matthew Zachemski, So., M, Wisconsin
Senior goalkeeper Zac Kelly, junior midfielder Miles Merritt and sophomore Brandon Munson were all honored by the league.
The Big Ten preseason poll was also released Tuesday, as voted on by the 11 conference coaches. Perennial favorites Indiana was picked first, while Maryland and Ohio State were voted second and third, respectively. Michigan State was picked to finish to finish seventh.
Kelly, who hails from Holt, Michigan, is the reigning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. He is also one of the Spartans' three captains along with senior Josh Adam and junior Will Eby. Last season, he was the first Michigan State athlete to earn B1G Goalkeeper of the Year honors since Jimmy Hague in 2017. Kelly started all 17 games for MSU last season, earning seven shutouts.
Merritt, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was named a United Soccer Coaches Midfielder to Watch. The midfielder is in his first season with the Spartans after playing two years at Incarnate Word. He played in 16 games in 2024, scoring one goal.
Munson, a sophomore who hails from Spring Hill, Florida, was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team last season. The defender played in 14 games before sustaining a season-ending injury that kept him out of the final two games of the season.
Michigan State opens the regular season against UC Riverside on Thursday, Aug. 21 at 5 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium. It is the first half of a doubleheader with the MSU women's team, who will take on NC State at 7:30 p.m.
2025 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL
1. Indiana
2. Maryland
3. Ohio State
4. UCLA
5. Washington
6. Michigan
7. Michigan State
8. Wisconsin
9. Rutgers
10. Penn State
11. Northwestern
2025 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
Palmer Ault, Sr., F, Indiana
Josh Maher, So., D, Indiana
Collins Oduru, Jr., M, Indiana
Luca Costabile, Sr., D, Maryland
Leon Koehl, Jr., M, Maryland
Sadam Masereka, Sr., F, Maryland
Raymundo Mendez, Gr., M/F, Michigan
Nolan Miller, Sr., D, Michigan
Shuma Sasaki, Gr., F/M, Michigan
Zac Kelly, Sr., GK, Michigan State
Miles Merritt, Jr., M, Michigan State
Brandon Munson, So., D, Michigan State
Jason Gajadhar, Sr., M, Northwestern
Nigel Prince, Sr., D, Northwestern
Fritz Volmar, Jr., D, Northwestern
Marko Borkovic, Sr., F, Ohio State
Thomas Gilej, Gr., M, Ohio State
Luciano Pechota, Sr., M, Ohio State
Malick Daouda, So., M, Penn State
Caden Grabfelder, Jr., M, Penn State
Kai Phillip, Gr., F, Penn State
Nick Collins, Jr., D, Rutgers
Ciaran Dalton, Sr., GK, Rutgers
Joschi Schelb, Jr., M, Rutgers
Drew Brown, Sr., D, UCLA
Sergi Solans Ormo, So., F, UCLA
Tamir Ratoviz, So., M, UCLA
Egor Akulov, Sr., D, Washington
Richie Aman, Sr., F, Washington
Charlie Kosakoff, Jr., F, Washington
Matisse Hebert, So., GK, Wisconsin
Ellis Jones, Jr., D, Wisconsin
Matthew Zachemski, So., M, Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
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