BOSTON – After winning the 2024 NCAA National Championship, Vermont was unanimously selected first in the 2025 #AEMSOC Preseason Poll and had a league-high five players named Preseason All-Conference, as announced by the league on Wednesday afternoon.
The Catamounts captured all seven possible first place votes for a total of 49 points after going 16-2-3 last year on the way to conference and national titles. New Hampshire, which has earned at least a share of six straight #AEMSOC Regular Season Championships, finished second in the poll with 40 points. Bryant has reached each of the past two conference title games and was selected third with 38 points and one first place vote. UMBC took fourth with 33 points while NJIT came in fifth with 21 points.
Vermont had a league-best five players named Preseason All-Conference, including three which previously earned All-Conference honors. Maximillian Kissel and Niklas Herceg both earned second team honors in 2024, while Nick Lockermann was the 2023 Rookie of the Year. 2024 Rookie of the Year Max Voigt was one of two Wildcats named to the team, and two-time All-Conference selection Marc Pitarch highlights three Bulldogs on the team.
Men’s Preseason Poll
| Pl. |
School |
Pts. (1st) |
| 1. |
Vermont |
49 (7) |
| 2. |
New Hampshire |
40 |
| 3. |
Bryant |
38 (1) |
| 4. |
UMBC |
33 |
| 5. |
NJIT |
21 |
| 6. |
Binghamton |
17 |
| T7. |
UMass Lowell |
13 |
| T7. |
UAlbany |
13 |
Men’s Preseason All-Conference
| F |
Ryan Calheira (UMBC) |
| F |
Maximilian Kissel (Vermont) |
| F |
David Ismail (Vermont) |
| F |
Marc Pitarch (Bryant) |
| M |
Santiago Blasco Gomez (Bryant) |
| M |
Matteo Brossel (New Hampshire) |
| M |
Ryan Zellefrow (Vermont) |
| D |
Tibo Jacobs (Bryant) |
| D |
Nick Lockermann (Vermont) |
| D |
Max Voigt (New Hampshire) |
| GK |
Niklas Herceg (Vermont) |
Need to Know:
- Vermont was picked first for a second straight year, capturing all possible seven first place votes. The Catamounts went 4-1-2 in league play and then 5-0-1 in the NCAA Tournament on the way to the league’s first National Championship.
- Maximillian Kissel earned Preseason All-Conference honors after scoring 11 goals as a sub last season, including the game-winner in the national championship, while Nick Lockermann was the 2023 Rookie of the Year and a 2023 Third-Team All-Region selection.
- UVM Goalkeeper Niklas Herceg led the nation in save percentage (0.851) last season and ranked fourth in goals against average (0.668)
- New Hampshire has earned at least a share of the regular season title for six straight seasons, the longest active streak of any program in any America East sport. The Wildcats went 4-1-2 in league-play last season and saw its season end with a 0-0 draw against Bryant in the #AEMSOC Semifinals.
- Bryant earned 38 points and has reached the conference championship each of the past two seasons, winning it all in 2023. The ranked first in the nation with a 0.643 goals against average.
- UMBC has finished as a top-four seed each of the past three seasons and finished just a point behind UNH and UVM in third with 13 points (4-2-1) in 2024. The Retrievers fell in double overtime of the #AEMSOC Semifinals to Vermont.
- NJIT was picked fifth after finishing the year tied for fifth in 2024, with Binghamton.
- #AEMSOC finished as the fifth best conference in the nation last year according to RPI. Vermont finished No. 1 in RPI nationally, while New Hampshire, Bryant and UMBC and Binghamton all ranked in the top-85.
- #AEMSOC was the only conference in the nation to have three teams ranked in the top-25 of goals against average, with Bryant (1), New Hampshire (7) and Vermont (9) all inside the top-10.
The 2025 season begins on Thursday, Aug. 21 with all eight teams in action. Vermont hosts Sacred Heart at 6 p.m., while New Hampshire welcomes Boston University. Bryant and UMass Lowell are also at home, while Binghamton, NJIT, UMBC and UAlbany are all on the road.
Fans will once again be able to watch nearly every #AEMSOC contest this season. Select games will air on The AE on ESPN while others will air on AmericaEast.TV. Those games will be available on computers, OTT devices and the America East app, which is available on all IOS and Android devices and can be found by searching ‘America East Conference’ in app stores.
About the America East:
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference and its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
- America East Conference – Where Champions Rise -