MM 8.22: Maryland men’s soccer picked first in Big Ten preseason poll

This is the Maryland Minute, a short story followed by a roundup of Terps-related news.

Maryland men’s soccer was picked first in the Big Ten preseason poll, voted on by the conference’s head coaches and released on Monday.

The Terps, ranked No. 14 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, won the regular-season conferebce title last season in dramatic fashion, with forward Stefan Copetti scoring late in the team’s last game to clinch the trophy.

Indiana, last year’s national runner-up, is ranked second, with Ohio State, Rutgers and Penn State rounding out the top five.

Additionally, each team had three players selected to the 2023 Big Ten Players to Watch list. Maryland’s representatives were Copetti, senior defender Alex Nitzl and graduate defender Bjarne Thiesen.

The Terps, led by 31st-year head coach Sasho Cirovski, begin their season at home on Aug. 24 against Missouri State.

In other news

Ryan Martin previewed the 2023 Maryland field hockey season.

Maryland football revealed new black helmets with its retro “Terps” script.

Former Terp LaMonte Wade hit a home run for the San Francisco Giants.

Maryland men’s soccer alum Jacen Russell-Rowe scored a goal for the Columbus Crew.