Men's Soccer Selected First in the AMCC Preseason Poll; Scalise Named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Courtesy of John Leisering

ERIE, Pa. - The Penn State Behrend men's soccer team has been projected to finish first in the 2025 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Preseason Coaches' poll released on Monday. Sophomore goalkeeper Anthony Scalise (North Huntingdon, PA/Norwin) was voted Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.  

Second-year head coach Chris Ralph directed the Lions to the AMCC Championship last year before finishing the campaign (11-7-3) with a 1-0 overtime loss to No. 15 Johns Hopkins in the NCAA Division III First Round.

The Lions ended the 2024 AMCC regular season tied with Alfred State for top honors, then defeated Mt. Aloysius 2-1 in overtime and the Pioneers on penalty kicks to claim the title.

The Lions graduated several top players, but the cupboard is far from bare. Hoping to lead the Lions to another successful season are 2024 All-AMCC Second Team Selections - junior midfielder Owen Petersen, senior midfielder Reilly Nickles, and Scalise - and All-AMCC Third Team defender Brock Kiefer.

Last season, Petersen was second on the squad in goals (5) and points (11) while Nickles finished with a goal and two helpers for four points. In 14 games, Scalise amassed a 6-4-4 record, a GAA of 0.90, a save % of .794 and seven shutouts. Kiefer tied for sixth on the team with five points (1, 3).

Along with these four players, Behrend welcomes back 11 other returners while bringing in 11 newcomers.

The Lions begin the 2025 season on Friday, August 29, hosting the Herb Lauffer Memorial Tournament against Allegheny, Baldwin Wallace and Carnegie Mellon.

2025 AMCC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll

1. Penn State Behrend (T-1)
2. Mount Aloysius (3)
3. Alfred State (T-1)
4. Pitt-Greensburg (5)
5. Hilbert (4)
6. La Roche (7)
7. Pitt-Bradford (6)
8. Penn State Altoona (8)
9. Carlow (9)

*Number in parenthesis is order of regular season finish in 2024