College soccer has the Big East to thank for some of the most intriguing stories last season. First, Georgetown was led by a core of highly impressive Freshmen, then there was Duncan McGuire of Creighton, who went from unknown backup to an NCAA-leading 23-goal season that ranks among the best in history. Now there is a new one with historical power, Akron joining the conference, taking the league to new levels. There is no shortage of talent in the Big East as TDS previews one of the premier conferences in men’s college soccer.

*Akron joins the Big East from the Mid-American.

*The Big East will now operate under two divisions.

2022 Big East Standings:

1. Georgetown 8-1-1 (12-6-3) - NCAA Second Round

Through the regular season, there was Georgetown, then there was the rest of the Big East, as the historically dominant program won the league by eight points while only losing once in ten games. Impressively, that was off the back of two Freshmen, Jacob Murrell, and Jack Panayotou, leading the team in goals with seven each. And although Panayotou has signed a professional contract with the New England Revolution, this team has plenty of talent for now and in the future.

2. Seton Hall 4-1-5 (7-4-7) - NCAA First Round

Seton Hall will have some work to do this season as they graduate several starters and lose their top attacking player Quenzi Huerman. Those experienced losses are especially tough for a team that made a habit of playing and winning close games. Fortunately, coach Andreas Lindberg has the experience and winning pedigree to make the most of any roster.

3. Xavier 3-1-6 (9-2-7)

With their in-state rivals in Akron joining the conference, Xavier has work to do in representing Ohio. They will continue their quest for their first NCAA tournament appearance in eight years as John Higgins takes on his second season as head coach.

4. Butler 4-3-3 (10-6-3)

Georgetown may have had the depth in their Freshman class, but Butler had the best overall freshman in Palmer Ault, who won the award and contributed an impressive ten goals and six assists in 19 appearances. It was one of the best freshmen seasons in Big East history as Ault will look to lead the team to more glory in year two.

5. Providence-2-5 (5-5-7)

As part of a mixed bag of a season, Providence did about as much winning as it drew and lost. But all is not as it seems as this team pulled together some impressive results like wins over Creighton and Butler and a 0-0 tie with Xavier. Providence is a team to watch if they can carry that momentum to this fall.

6. Creighton 3-3-4 (13-5-6) - NCAA Semifinalists

The definition of getting hot at the right time, Creighton crawled into the Big East tournament with the last seed, then proceeded to win it all with 6-0 wins over the second seed and a 3-0 win over 1-seeded Georgetown. They then took that momentum to the college soccer final four before dropping a 2-3 game to the eventual champions. The problem is they lose Mac Hermann trophy winner, and NCAA top scorer, McGuire, a monumental gap they must fill.

7. Connecticut(m) 3-4-3 (7-7-3)

The UConn NCAA tournament dry expel expands to four years, concerning for a team that has not seen a drought that long since the 90s. Fortunately, new coach Chris Gbandi led the team to the most conference wins since 2018, a promising platform to build on.

8. St. John's 2-4-4 (4-8-5)

St. John’s was strong at home, but its away record did it in as they failed to win a road game in eight tries. But with a massive 23rd-ranked recruiting class featuring over 18 players, St. John’s could turn their fortunes around quicker than most expect.

9. DePaul 1-4-5 (4-6-7)

DePaul has some work to do as it searches for its first winning season since 2008. The Big East can be unforgiven and has not allowed DePaul to rebuild for an extended period. But with a good recruiting class incoming and the reshuffling of the conference into two divisions, that winning season could come sooner than later.

10. Villanova 2-6-2 (6-8-3)

The stretch that doomed the Villanova season was mid-October, when they lost five straight Big East games. That coincided with a season-ending injury to star midfielder Josh Belluz who missed four games in that debilitating run. To make matters worse, Belluz has transferred to conference rivals Syracuse as Villanova seeks reinforcements. Fortunately, Villanova brings in a good recruiting class spearheaded by several MLS Next standouts and national champions.

11. Marquette 1-5-4 (5-9-4)

Marquette has made a habit of ending its seasons on a high note. In 2021 they closed out the regular season by upsetting Georgetown, the number one ranked team in the country at the time, and last season they won their first league game of the season in a 5-1 demolition of St. John’s. The goal now is carrying that momentum to a new season as they have no problem scoring- it is defending that hinders their potential.

Akron (11-4-5) – NCAA Second Round

Akron leaves the Mid-American and joins a conference that will only make them more battle-tested for the NCAA tournament. And equipped with some of the best players in college soccer, such as Dyson Clapier, this team should challenge for a Big East championship from day one.

Top Freshman to Watch:

Caleb Borneo, Akron (#38 Ranked TDS Class of 2023)

With experience on the Trinidad and Tobago U20 and U.S. U19 national teams, Borneo has had quite the background ahead of his debut collegiate season. The center midfielder has an excellent feel for the game as a prospect that could plug and play from day one.

Mateo Ponce Ocampo, Georgetown (#55 Ranked TDS Class of 2023)

Georgetown brings another elite class with Ocampo leading the charge as an NYCFC Academy graduate whose composure and dribbling underpins his excellent ability in tight spaces. Georgetown is building a roster that could compete for a national championship in the future.

Brandon Marshall, Providence (#74 Ranked TDS Class of 2023)

As one of the top defensive prospects in his class, Marshall offers Providence a prospect they could utilize in multiple positions. The addition comes at the perfect time, with the team losing multiple defensive starters to graduation.

Tyler Morck, St. John’s (#133 Ranked TDS Class of 2023)

Another NYCFC Academy graduate on the list, Morck brings excellent technical qualities to St. John’s. Early playing time may be difficult on a team bringing in multiple collegiate transfers, but Morck is the type of talent to make the most of every minute he receives.

Luke Martelli, Villanova (#147 Ranked TDS Class of 2023)

As a left-sided full-back with two-way ability, Martelli is the type of freshman prospect to play and do well from day one. He also brings championship pedigree as a U17 MLS Next Champion with the Philadelphia Union, meaning the collegiate stage will not be too intimidating.

Top Players to Watch:

Palmer Ault, Butler

Fresh off one of the best freshmen seasons in Big East history, Ault was named the Big East Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Another season of the like could land Ault a professional contract by the end of 2023.

Kenny Nielsen, Georgetown

The Preseason Big East Defensive Player of the Year and team captain will be as solid as ever for a program that churns out professional prospects. Nielsen is a bona fide MLS Draft candidate looking to make a deep NCAA run in his last collegiate season.

Makel Rasheed, Xavier

Despite his selection in the third round of the MLS draft, Rasheed returns to Xavier for one final season. The physically imposing defender is also an excellent reader of the game, anticipating and snuffing out attacks as quickly as they arise. If Xavier breaks their NCAA tournament dry spell, Rasheed will be at the center of it.

Giorgio Probo, Creighton

Probo loses his partner in crime in McGuire but is comfortably a midfielder that makes any forward better. The former NJCAA Player of the Pear and a national champion will look to prove Creighton is more than their super striker.

Dyson Clapier, Akron

As expected, Akron brings several stars to the Big East, of which the most prominent is Clapier, a midfielder who split time between scoring and creating with seven goals and assists each. It will be interesting to see where Clapier lands among the best in an improved conference.