Garcia-Pascual Garners Preseason All-Sun Belt Honors
8/15/2022 2:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Chants picked fifth in in preseason poll
NEW ORLEANS - Coastal Carolina men's soccer forward Alvaro Garcia-Pascual was named to the 2022 Preseason All-Sun Belt team, while the Chanticleers were picked to finish fifth in the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches poll, the league announced on Monday.
Â
In the first preseason coaches poll since the reinstatement of men's soccer in the Sun Belt, the Chanticleers received a total of 39 points to place in a tie with newcomer James Madison in fifth.
Â
West Virginia (75 points) garnered five first-place votes and was picked to finish first in the preseason poll. Marshall (72 points) picked up three first-place votes to come in second, while Kentucky (69 points) was selected to finish third and received one first-place vote. In state foe, South Carolina was picked just ahead of the Chants in fourth with 41 points.Â
Â
Georgia State (25 points), Old Dominion (20 points), and Georgia Southern (15 points) rounded out the preseason poll.Â
Â
Named to the 2021 All-Conference USA second team and the C-USA All-Freshman Team, Garcia-Pascual was the only true freshman to appear in 13 matches and earn 12 starts last season. He finished the season with five goals – including his first career brace against Marshall (Sept. 4) – and two assists. Garcia-Pasqual recorded 12 points for the Chants while taking 44 shots, placing 23 on goal in 922 minutes of action. Notably, Garcia-Pasqual was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week following his performance against Marshall.
Â
 2022 Sun Belt Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Awards
 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
 Eythor Bjorgolfsson, Kentucky (Sr., F – Jessheim, Norway)
Â
 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
 Luis Grassow, Kentucky (Sr., D – Munich, Germany)
Â
 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team*Â
 Alvaro Garcia-Pascual, Coastal Carolina (So., F – Benalmadena, Spain) Â
 Luca Erhardt, James Madison (RS Sr., F – Offenbach, Germany) Â
 Eythor Bjorgolfsson, Kentucky (Sr., F – Jessheim, Norway)Â
 Milo Yosef, Marshall (RS Sr., F – Aachen, Germany) Â
 Ross Finnie, Georgia State (Sr., M – Carnoustie, Scotland) Â
 Rodrigo Robles, James Madison (RS Jr., M – Burgos, Spain) Â
 Vinicius Fernandes, Marshall (Gr., M – Sao Paulo, Brazil) Â
 Luis Grassow, Kentucky (Sr., D – Munich, Germany)Â
 Robert Screen, Kentucky (5th Yr., D – Raleigh, N.C.) Â
 Gabriel Alves, Marshall (Jr., D – Sao Paulo, Brazil)Â
 Bjarne Thiesen, West Virginia (RS Jr., D – Kiel, Germany) Â
 Oliver Semmle, Marshall (Gr., GK – Au Am Rhein, Germany) Â
* Team Expanded Due to Ties in Voting
Â
 2022 Sun Belt Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
 1. West Virginia – 75 (5)
 2. Marshall – 72 (3)
 3. Kentucky – 69 (1)
 4. South Carolina - 41
 T5. Coastal Carolina - 39
    James Madison - 39
 7. Georgia State - 35
 8. Old Dominion - 20
 9. Georgia Southern – 15
On Sunday, Aug. 14, Coastal battled No. 15 preseason nationally-ranked Wake Forest to a 1-1 draw at the CCU soccer stadium. The Chanticleers will close their exhibition schedule when they host NC State on Aug. 20.
Â
 For complete coverage of CCU men's soccer, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalMSoccer (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
Â
In the first preseason coaches poll since the reinstatement of men's soccer in the Sun Belt, the Chanticleers received a total of 39 points to place in a tie with newcomer James Madison in fifth.
Â
West Virginia (75 points) garnered five first-place votes and was picked to finish first in the preseason poll. Marshall (72 points) picked up three first-place votes to come in second, while Kentucky (69 points) was selected to finish third and received one first-place vote. In state foe, South Carolina was picked just ahead of the Chants in fourth with 41 points.Â
Â
Georgia State (25 points), Old Dominion (20 points), and Georgia Southern (15 points) rounded out the preseason poll.Â
Â
Named to the 2021 All-Conference USA second team and the C-USA All-Freshman Team, Garcia-Pascual was the only true freshman to appear in 13 matches and earn 12 starts last season. He finished the season with five goals – including his first career brace against Marshall (Sept. 4) – and two assists. Garcia-Pasqual recorded 12 points for the Chants while taking 44 shots, placing 23 on goal in 922 minutes of action. Notably, Garcia-Pasqual was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week following his performance against Marshall.
Â
 2022 Sun Belt Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Awards
 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
 Eythor Bjorgolfsson, Kentucky (Sr., F – Jessheim, Norway)
Â
 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
 Luis Grassow, Kentucky (Sr., D – Munich, Germany)
Â
 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team*Â
 Alvaro Garcia-Pascual, Coastal Carolina (So., F – Benalmadena, Spain) Â
 Luca Erhardt, James Madison (RS Sr., F – Offenbach, Germany) Â
 Eythor Bjorgolfsson, Kentucky (Sr., F – Jessheim, Norway)Â
 Milo Yosef, Marshall (RS Sr., F – Aachen, Germany) Â
 Ross Finnie, Georgia State (Sr., M – Carnoustie, Scotland) Â
 Rodrigo Robles, James Madison (RS Jr., M – Burgos, Spain) Â
 Vinicius Fernandes, Marshall (Gr., M – Sao Paulo, Brazil) Â
 Luis Grassow, Kentucky (Sr., D – Munich, Germany)Â
 Robert Screen, Kentucky (5th Yr., D – Raleigh, N.C.) Â
 Gabriel Alves, Marshall (Jr., D – Sao Paulo, Brazil)Â
 Bjarne Thiesen, West Virginia (RS Jr., D – Kiel, Germany) Â
 Oliver Semmle, Marshall (Gr., GK – Au Am Rhein, Germany) Â
* Team Expanded Due to Ties in Voting
Â
 2022 Sun Belt Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll
 1. West Virginia – 75 (5)
 2. Marshall – 72 (3)
 3. Kentucky – 69 (1)
 4. South Carolina - 41
 T5. Coastal Carolina - 39
    James Madison - 39
 7. Georgia State - 35
 8. Old Dominion - 20
 9. Georgia Southern – 15
On Sunday, Aug. 14, Coastal battled No. 15 preseason nationally-ranked Wake Forest to a 1-1 draw at the CCU soccer stadium. The Chanticleers will close their exhibition schedule when they host NC State on Aug. 20.
Â
 For complete coverage of CCU men's soccer, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalMSoccer (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's SoccerThursday, August 21
Thursday, October 17
Wednesday, June 19
Friday, August 26
