EDISON, NJ (Aug. 18, 2022) – Defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men’s Soccer Champion, Marist College, has been selected as the favorite to repeat in the 2022 Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll, while Rider University standout Zaki Alibou was named Preseason Player of the Year, as voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.
The Red Foxes collected 10 out of the 11 first-place votes, compiling 120 points and making them the favorite to repeat as MAAC champions in 2022. Marist snagged its program’s first MAAC regular season crown in 2021, posting a league-best 7-2-1 MAAC record and 12-7-3 overall mark. The Red Foxes capped off their historical campaign with back-to-back shutout wins over Manhattan and Monmouth in the MAAC opening and semifinal rounds, before edging Rider 5-3 on penalty kicks in the MAAC championship match to secure the 2021 title. Marist has won four total MAAC championships, also hoisting the trophy in 2000, 2004, and 2005 in addition to last season.
2021 runner up, Rider, finished second in the poll, garnering 97 points and the final first-place vote. Coming in third-place was Fairfield with 83 votes, followed by Quinnipiac (78) and Siena (72) to round out the league’s top-five.
Last season’s MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, Alibou, was selected as the 2022 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. The senior forward tied for third in the MAAC in points (25) and goals (10), while ranking fifth in points per game and goals per game. Alibou took the league’s second-most shots in 2021 and recorded the third-most shots on goal. Additionally, he was tied for eighth in assists. A native of Meknes, Morocco, Alibou became the first recipient from Rider to win the Offensive Player of the Year award since the MAAC expanded its player of the year award to offensive and defensive in 2003, and the third all-time player of the year winner from the school. The senior also took home MAAC Player of the Week on October 11 after spearheading a 2-0 week for the Broncs behind three goals scored.
The rest of the Preseason All-MAAC Team and full Preseason Coaches’ Poll can be found below.
| 2022 Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Marist |
120 (10) |
| 2 |
Rider |
97 (1) |
| 3 |
Fairfield |
83 |
| 4 |
Quinnipiac |
78 |
| 5 |
Siena |
72 |
| 6 |
Niagara |
67 |
| 7 |
Saint Peter’s |
64 |
| 8 |
Manhattan |
54 |
| 9 |
Iona |
53 |
| 10 |
Canisius |
21 |
| 11 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
17 |
| Preseason Player of the Year |
| Zaki Alibou – Rider |
| Preseason All-MAAC Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Thomas Drillien |
Forward |
So. |
Fairfield |
| Camil Azzam Ruiz |
Forward |
Sr. |
Iona |
| Brage Aasen |
Forward |
Sr. |
Quinnipiac |
| Zaki Alibou |
Forward |
Sr. |
Rider |
| Henrique Cruz |
Midfield |
Sr. |
Marist |
| Jacob Sandun Arachchige-Jensen |
Midfield |
So. |
Siena |
| Erik Reis |
Midfield |
So. |
Siena |
| Cormac Pike |
Back |
Sr. |
Fairfield |
| Tom Climpson |
Back |
Sr. |
Saint Peter’s |
| Henrik Winkelmann |
Back |
So. |
Siena |
| Samuel Ilin |
Goalkeeper |
Gr. |
Marist |
The 2022 MAAC Men's Soccer Championship will take place from November 6 through 13. The six-team, single-elimination championship will be hosted by the higher seed of each match. The opening round will take place on Sunday, November 6, followed by the semifinals on Thursday, November 10, and concluding with the championship match on Sunday, November 13. For all information regarding the 2022 MAAC Women’s Soccer Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/msoc.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
Stay up to date with the MAAC on social media by following @MAACSports on
Twitter,
Facebook and
Instagram or visit
MAACSports.com for all the latest MAAC news.