With the 2024 season slowly kicking off, the Ivy League men’s soccer preseason polling favors the Red and Blue. After finishing the season at the top of the Ivy League with a record of 7-3-6 (4-1-2 Ivy) last season, Penn men’s soccer looks to top the board once again.
In the poll Penn earned seven first place votes, one behind Yale, but was able to edge out the Bulldogs on aggregate votes. This comes after the Quakers were shockingly bounced out of the inaugural soccer Ivy League Tournament despite holding the first seed and home field advantage.
This ranking comes behind a host of players returning to the team in hopes of improving upon its disappointing previous season. Returning All-Ivy honorees senior defender Leo Burney, senior forward Stas Korzeniowski, and senior defender Ben Do headline a strong cast of players, along with four other returning starters.
The United Soccer Coaches released their NCAA Division I Men’s Defenders-to-Watch list for the 2024 season, which prominently featured Burney as a player to watch during the upcoming season. On top of this, Korzeniowski saw himself get drafted to the MLS last winter after leading the Red and Blue in points and assists last season. Despite the allure of professional play, Korzeniowski decided to stay with Penn to see out one final season in an attempt to secure Ivy League glory and improve upon his previous campaigns.
The team will start this upcoming season on Sept. 1 against Pitt in a cross-state rivalry match. The game will also signify the team’s return to Rhodes Field, which had been closed all of last year due to construction. As the season progresses, only time will tell if the Quakers can live up to their preseason expectations.
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