Titans Favored To Capture WIAC Men's Soccer Crown

UW-Oshkosh is the preseason choice to capture the 2014 WIAC men's soccer championship, according to a poll of head coaches and sports information directors from the league's five men's soccer-playing institutions.

For the second straight year, the winner of the four-team WIAC Tournament will be crowned the league champion.

The Titans return 16 letter winners, including six starters from last year's team that compiled a 15-2-4 record (3-0-1 WIAC), finished second in the WIAC and competed in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship.

Defender Karl Bock was named the WIAC's Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, while UW-Oshkosh teammates Sam Gabrilska, a goalkeeper, and Jacob Hernandez, a midfielder, collected all-league second-team honors. Forward Jonathan Stanley is the Titans' top returning scorer after sending six shots into the net a year ago.

UW-Oshkosh, which won the WIAC title in 2010, tallied a league-best nine shutouts in 2013 and ranked 20th in the NCAA Division III with a 0.67 goals against average.

Rounding out the WIAC predictions were second-ranked UW-Whitewater, third-ranked and defending champion UW-Superior, fourth-ranked UW-Platteville and fifth-ranked Finlandia University (Mich.).

UW-Oshkosh, which has qualified for 13 NCAA Division III postseason tournaments, begins its 2014 season at Central College (Iowa) on Aug. 29. The Titans play Wisconsin Lutheran College on Sept. 3 in their home opener and visit UW-Superior on Oct. 4 for their WIAC debut.

UW-Oshkosh enters its 31st season (398-113-50 record) ranked 20th in the country by the NSCAA.

The Titans' first practice is scheduled for Aug. 16.