Sparkill, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Soccer team returns to action for the 2023 season with a very young, but immensely talented lineup, which is poised to make a postseason run after missing out a year ago. The Spartans were selected to finish seventh in the annual conference preseason coaches poll released last week.

In 2022, STAC earned an overall record of 6-6-4 and a 2-3-3 mark in ECC play, finishing just four points behind the final playoff qualifier, Roberts Wesleyan.

An off-season of roster retooling by Head Coach Graham Brown, following the departures of several key members of the squad via graduation, has the Spartans restocking their talent pool while continuing to be a competitive fixture in a strong East Region.

STAC returns 17 players from a season ago, as George Stephenson (4 GP), Malik McGregor, Andres Gonzalez-Rios (13 GP, 1 A), Kevon Evans (15 GP, 9 G & 4 A), Nicholas Sadorf (15 GP), Xavier Floyd (2 GP), Lewis Paterson (11 GP, 2 G), Angel Catalan Hernandez (12 GP, 1 G), Roman Capucha (16 GP, 2 G), Tabor McDaniels (12 GP, 3 W, 4 L, 2 T, 1.48 GAA & .789 SV%), Christian Ferlisi (16 GP, 2G & 2 A), Hunter Jones (7 GP), Dwant Suazo (16 GP, 1 A), Yahir Hernandez (11 GP, 4 G & 2 A), Jalen Moni (15 GP, 1 G & 1 A), Dimitry Tchantcheu (3 GP) and Joshua Heber (5 GP, 1 A) will all make their way back to Sparkill.

A mix of freshman and transfers were brought in to help bolster the Spartan roster and replenish depth in several positions. Gino Ganzior (Goalkeeper - Detmold, Germany), Jose Betancourt (Back - Brentwood, N.Y.), Joshua Ashie (Back - Toronto, Ontario Canada), Casper Van Wijngaarden (Midfield - The Hague, Netherlands), Alejandro Zuniga (Midfield - Naples, Fla.), Uhunoma Fredrick-Ilekhuoba (Forward - Lagos, Nigeria), Johnny Marin (Midfield - Stony Point, N.Y.), Chad Johnston (Forward - Lakeland, Fla.), Jerry Tagliavia (Forward - Massapequa Park, N.Y.), Jose Aguilar Polanco (Forward - Congers, N.Y.), Tomasray Rodriguez (Back - Suffern, N.Y.), Joseph Sullivan (Midfield - Whitestone, N.Y.), Calle Olle Petter Gunnarsson (Goalkeeper - Stockholm, Sweden) and Leandro Casar Useche (Midfield - San Cristobal, Venezuela).

Graham Brown will once again patrol the STAC sideline this season, his 23nd with the college. Assistant coaches George Prepis, Mark Rajovic and Patrick McAvoy also return. In addition, former Spartan Andres Gomez rejoins the maroon and gold coaching ranks for the 2023 campaign.

St. Thomas Aquinas College will open their new season at Spartan Field, hosting Chestnut Hill College on Thursday, August 31, with a 2:30 p.m. kickoff. 

2023 ECC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll

( ) - first place votes