Moon Township, Pa. - The Robert Morris
University men's soccer team was selected 10th in the 2012 Northeast
Conference Men's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Poll. The Colonials return 12
letterwinners and seven starters from the 2011 team highlighted by 2010
National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Region Second Team selection
Toba Bolaji (Vaughan, Ontario / Maple).
Monmouth received seven first-place votes and the top
honor in this season's poll. Fairleigh Dickinson received two first-place votes
and is second while Saint Francis (Pa.) is third and Sacred Heart is fourth.
Both the Red Flashes and the Pioneers received first-place nods. St. Francis
(N.Y.) is fifth followed by Mount St. Mary's, Central Connecticut State,
Quinnipiac, LIU Brooklyn, Robert Morris and Bryant.
Bolaji, a senior goalkeeper, highlights a group of
talented returnees. His 1.14 career goals against average is the best in team
history. He is also second at RMU with a .819 save percentage and has the
fourth-most saves in team history with 249.
While he holds down the backline, the team's top two scorers
return from a season ago. Junior forward Prince Samuels (Saint Catherine,
Jamaica / Kingston College) topped the team in goals (6) and points (13) last
season. Junior Miro Cabrilo (Hamilton, Ontario / Glendale Secondary) added 10
points on four goals and two assists.
Eight new players join the squad for 2012, giving 15th
year head coach Bill Denniston a deeper bench with which to toil. RMU finished
2011 4-12-1 overall.
The Colonials kick off the 2012 season Friday, Aug. 24,
when Cleveland State visits the North Athletic Complex for a 3:00 p.m.
kick-off.
