COLONIA, N.J. (Aug. 21, 2024) – The Mercy University men's soccer team has been picked to finish second in the East Coast Conference (ECC) Preseason Coaches' Poll and senior Eirik Elvestad (Oslo, Norway/Blindern VGS) has been named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The top six teams in the standings at the end of the season qualify for the ECC Championship.

Queens received four first-place votes to take the top spot in the poll with 72 points. Mercy earned two first-place votes and 69 points overall to be ranked second in the poll. St. Thomas Aquinas' Kevon Evans was named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

Elvestad is named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season after being named ECC Goalkeeper of the Year for the second consecutive season in 2023. The First Team All-ECC selection went 9-4-5 with six shutouts, 63 saves, a .750 save percentage and 1.18 goals-against average in 1606 minutes of action last season. The native of Norway recorded his 100th career save during the 2023 campaign and set a school record for career shutouts.

The Mavericks went 9-4-5 last season, advancing to the Semifinals of the ECC Championship. Mercy has won two of the last four ECC Championships in 2019 and 2022. Leading the returners for Head Coach Pedro Velazquez is junior Johannes Hanken Tjostheim who was named United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region and First Team All-ECC after leading the team in goals (13) and points (30). Also returning is senior Julian Holland who was tabbed United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region and ECC Co-Defensive Player of the Year after posting three goals, three assists and nine points a year ago.

Velazquez and the Mavericks open their 2024 season on Thursday, September 5th when they host East Stroudsburg at 2:30 p.m.