UWF a unanimous top pick in GSC men's soccer preseason coaches' poll
Five Argonauts earn spots on Preseason All-GSC Team
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the 11th straight season, Gulf South Conference coaches picked the West Florida men’s soccer team to finish first in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll announced on Thursday. The Argonauts were the unanimous choice among league coaches, receiving all four possible first place votes. Christian Brothers, last year’s GSC champion, earned the one other first place vote and finished second in the poll.
The GSC also announced its preseason all-conference team, and five Argonauts earned the honor. Leading UWF’s attack will be preseason All-GSC forwards Frank Cope (Mobile, Ala./UMS-Wright Preparatory School) and Stephen Munoz (Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary HS). Cope missed all of 2011 due to injury, but he enjoyed an All-American season the year before while scoring two goals with 10 assists. Munoz was an All-South Region pick two years ago, and he has been a steady presence in the team’s attack his entire career.
In the midfield, the Argos will count on Preseason All-GSC picks Richard Dixon (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Royal Palm Beach HS) and Nick Salafrio (Gainesville, Fla./Buchholz HS). Dixon, like Cope, missed all of 2011 with an injury, but he is a three-time All-South Region pick and earned the 2009 GSC Player of the Year award. Salafrio, the 2010 GSC Freshman of the Year, has been an impact player in his two years with three goals and six assists.
Defender Trey Kramer (New Orleans, La./Jesuit HS) rounded out the UWF contingent on the preseason all-conference team. The senior is a three-time GSC Defender of the Week, and he earned All-GSC honors as a freshman in 2009.
In addition to the Preseason All-GSC Team, the conference office also announced its list of top newcomers from each team. UWF’s two highlighted players were freshmen Andrew Hitt (Clearwater, Fla./Countryside HS) and Felipe Oliveira (Kissimmee, Fla./Gateway HS). Hitt, a defender, and Oliveira, a forward, both figure to play big parts in the team’s plans for 2012.
The Argonauts will start their season with three opponents from the Sunshine State Conference, facing Saint Leo on the road on Sept. 1 and returning home for games against Rollins on Sept. 7 and Florida Southern on Sept. 9. Gulf South Conference play will start on Sept. 14 at Union University in Jackson, Tenn., one of two provisional members in the GSC in 2012.
For information on all UWF athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.
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