The Providence Friars Men’s Soccer Team was picked to finish first in the Big East, receiving 9 of the 10 first place votes, the other going to the Creighton Blue Jays.  Just as an FYI, coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team, so all the other 9 teams picked Providence to win the Big East this year, with Coach Craig Stewart picking Creighton.

The Friars will be getting back some really good players that went down with injuries last year, despite of which, the Friars made a dramatic run to the Elite Eight.  The Friars won their first ever Big East regular season title last year after finishing the conference slate strong with a 7-2 overall Big East conference record.

Senior Mac Steeves was named the Pre-Season Big East Offensive Player of the Year for the upcoming season, and with that, an obvious All-Big East Team selection to go along with it.  Steeves was supposed to be one the main contributors to last year’s squad before he went down with a season-ending injury after playing just two games.  Even so, Steeves still ranks third on the all-time Friars list for both goals scored (27) and points (63).  Expect a full return to awesomeness for the goal-machine forward.

Mac Steeves was also named the Pre-Season Offensive Player of the Year last year, but this time, I’m calling that he’ll make good on the Pre-Season accolades.

Senior defender Max Jecewiz was also named to the Pre-Season All-Big East Team. Jecewiz was a starter last year for a stout defense that put up 8 clean sheets last season. He was also named to the All-Big East Team and NSCAA All-Region 2nd Team.