BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Navy junior midfielder David Jackson was named as the 2022 Patriot League Preseason Midfielder of the Year while the Navy men's soccer team was picked third in the 2022 Preseason Poll, the league announced Wednesday.
Wednesday's announcement marks the first time in program history that a Midshipman has been selected as the league's preseason midfielder of the year. Jackson, the 2020-21 PL Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-Patriot League selection, also picked up preseason all-league honors for the second-straight campaign as one of the 11 best players in the league.
The junior from Cypress, Texas is the Mids' top returning scorer after notching 17 points last fall en route to second-team all-league and United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-Atlantic Region honors, tallying five goals and seven assists over 18 games while helping Navy reach the league semifinals. His debut season in 2020-21 saw Jackson open strong by recording two goals and two assists in five games, racking up United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-Atlantic Region and third-team all-league selections in addition to his Rookie of the Year nod.
Coming off their third-straight winning season, the Midshipmen earned the third spot in the preseason poll, receiving 117 points. In the poll that is voted on by coaches and sports information contacts from across the league, defending PL champion Loyola was picked to repeat with 140 points and 18 first-place votes, while American was slotted second with 140 points and two first-place votes. Coming in fourth was Holy Cross (103 points), while Lehigh (93 points), Army West Point (88 points) and Lafayette (81 points) were picked fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. Rounding out the poll were Boston (eighth, 58 points), Bucknell (ninth, 39 points) and Colgate (10th, 19 points).
The Mids open the 2022 regular season on Thursday, Aug. 25, kicking off a five-game homestand with St. Joseph's at 5 p.m. Patriot League play begins on Sept. 17 with Navy traveling to Bucknell, and the Mids host Colgate a week later on Sept. 24 in the first home league game of year. In total, Navy will play 10 contests this fall at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility, while the Army-Navy Cup returns to Subaru Park in Chester, Pa., for the 11th-consecutive campaign on Oct. 7.
Army Navy Cup XI
Army-Navy Cup XI Presented by Leidos returns to Subaru Park on Friday, October 7, where the rival academies will kick off at 7:00 p.m.
2022 Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Kelan Swales, Loyola Maryland, Sr., F
2022 Patriot League Preseason Midfielder of the Year: David Jackson, Navy, Jr., M
2022 Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Jordy Luchies, Loyola Maryland, So., D
2022 Patriot League Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year: Alex Sutton, Lafayette, Sr., GK
2022 Patriot League Preseason All-League Team
Evan Jones, Holy Cross, So., F, Jack Sarkos, Lehigh, Sr., F, Kelan Swales, Loyola Maryland, Sr., F, Evan Schweickert, American, Jr., M, Yiannis Panayides, Lafayette, Sr., M Albert Kang, Loyola Maryland, Sr., M, David Jackson, Navy, Jr., M, Gianluca Arlotti, Boston University, Sr., D, Nick Hazel, Lafayette, Sr., D, Jordy Luchies, Loyola Maryland, So., D, Alex Sutton, Lafayette, Sr., GK.
2022 Patriot League Preseason Poll
Loyola Maryland – 162 (18 first-place votes), American – 140 (2), Navy – 117, Holy Cross – 103, Lehigh – 93, Army West Point – 88, Lafayette – 81, Boston University – 58, Bucknell – 39, Colgate – 19
