Men’s Soccer Opens 2022 Season This Week

Bronx, N.Y. – (August 24, 2022) – The Fordham men's soccer season gets underway this week with a pair of matches against top 25 opponents, beginning on Thursday night at Hofstra, followed by the team's home opener on Sunday afternoon against Providence.
 
Fordham enters the 2022 season under the direction of head coach Carlo Acquista, who enters his fourth season at Rose Hill.  The Rams have made the conference semifinals in each of his first three seasons, winning the conference championship for the 2020-21 season.  Last season, the Rams took Saint Louis to the brink, playing to a scoreless draw in the A-10 Championship semifinals, but falling in penalty kicks to the Billikens.
 
The Rams jump right into the season against Hofstra, who is ranked #17 in the initial United Soccer Coaches poll.  The Pride were 18-2-2 in 2021, winning the CAA Championship and advancing to the third round of the NCAA Championship.  Hofstra brings back multiple key players, including All-American Hendrik Hebbeker, who was tabbed the preseason CAA Player of the Year, and NCAA scoring leader Ryan Carmichael, who had 39 points in 22 matches.
 
Providence is one spot ahead of Hofstra in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll at #16.  The Friars were 12-5-4 last season, earning an at-large berth into the NCAA Championship and advancing to the third round.  Providence was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the BIG EAST Conference in 2022, and return three All-BIG EAST selection, including First Team All-BIG EAST selection and Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year Ramzi Qawasmy.
 
GAME COVERAGE:
Thursday – Fordham at #17 Hofstra – 7:00 PM – Live Video (FloFC) | Live Stats | Follow on social media - @FordhamSoccer
 
Sunday – #16 Providence at Fordham – 1:00 PM – Live Video (ESPN+) | Live Stats | Follow on social media - @FordhamSoccer
 
SERIES HISTORY: In the season opener, this will be the 17^th all-time meeting between Fordham and Hofstra with the Pride holding a 10-5-1 edge in the series.  The teams last met in the 2019 season opener, where Hofstra came away with a 1-0 decision.
 
It will be the fourth all-time meeting between Fordham and Providence with the Friars having won two of the three matches.  The first meeting was in 1972, a 1-0 Fordham win, while the second was a 2-0 Providence win in 1993.  The teams then met last year at Providence with the Friars taking a 3-0 win.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA: Make sure to follow the Fordham Rams all season long on their social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram - @FordhamSoccer
 
PRESEASON POLLS: The Atlantic 10 Conference released its annual preseason coaches' poll for the upcoming 2022 season on Wednesday with Fordham predicted to finish fourth in the 14-team league.
 
Reigning Atlantic 10 champion Saint Louis earned recognition as the preseason front-runner entering the 2022 campaign, followed by Rhode Island, VCU, Fordham, and newcomer Loyola Chicago rounding out the top five.
 
TEAM CAPTAINS: The Fordham men's soccer team made its selections for team captains for the 2022 season, as Jack Sluys, Conrado Duhour, and Daniel Espeleta will wear the captain armbands this year.
 
Sluys begins his fifth season at Rose Hill, where he has been a staple in the Rams' starting lineup since 2018.  He has started 63 of 66 games for Fordham, primarily on the Rams' backline, while chipping in three goals and nine assists over that time.  He has also been a part of 21 shutouts and was selected as team MVP last season.  In the classroom, Sluys has been stellar, being a four-year member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll and a 2020-21 CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.

 
Duhour is another contributor to the Rams' backfield, appearing in 32 career games and making 17 starts.  Last season, he set career-best marks with 18 games played, 13 starts, and over 1,250 minutes played.  Overall, he has been a part of nine shutouts and is a two-year member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll.
 
Espeleta joined the team last spring as a graduate transfer student, coming from Creighton University, where he helped the Bluejays to the second round of the 2021 NCAA Championship.  He appeared in 62 career games for Creighton, recording five goals and three assists, and was a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in each of the last three seasons.
 
NEW FACES: Ram fans will need a game program for the 2022 season, as the Rams have added 15 players to the roster, who were not on the finishing roster for the 2021 campaign.  Fordham brought a mix of veteran players and underclassmen, including graduate student transfers Timo Hummrich (SMU), Ben Shepherd (UMass), Daniel Espeleta (Creighton), and Demetri Skoumbakis (LIU).

RAMSES CHALLENGE: As a part of a new fundraising challenge this season, fans can pledge support for the team in the Ramses Challenge for each goal the men's soccer team scores this season. Be a part of the challenge by clicking here.
 
WHO'S NEXT: The Rams are in action on Friday, September 2^nd, when the team travels to LIU for a 4:00 PM match.