| 8/18/2025 | Men’s Soccer BOCA RATON, Fla. – The American Conference announced its preseason all-conference teams for men’s soccer on Monday. Leading the way for Florida Atlantic was graduate student Mamadou Diarra, who was selected as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Diarra, senior midfielder Sebastian Zettl, and senior forward Aboubacar Traore were each named to the Preseason All-Conference team. In his first season in Paradise in 2024, Diarra took the American Conference by storm. The native of Mali tied for the league lead in goals with eight, three of which were game winners. He became the first Owl to earn Offensive Player of the Year since Bjorn Tortland won the ASUN award in 2004. Traore led the American Conference and tied the FAU single-season program record with 10 assists. He factored into 14 of the Owls’ 31 goals. Zettl returns for his fourth season with the Owls after tallying three goals and finishing second to Traore with nine assists. The native of Graz, Austria, enters his final campaign tied for sixth all-time with 20 assists. The Owls open the 2025 campaign on Thursday, August 21, at home versus Creighton. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. All home matches at the FAU Soccer Stadium are free admission. For complete coverage of FAU men’s soccer, follow us on X and Instagram (@FAUMSoccer). 2025 American Men’s Soccer Preseason Coaches’ Poll 1. Charlotte (4) 58 2. FIU (1) 47 3. Memphis (2) 46 South Florida (1) 46 5. Missouri State (1) 45 6. Florida Atlantic 33 7. UAB 19 8. Tulsa 16 9. Temple 14 (#) denotes first place votes Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Mamadou Diarra, Gr., F, Florida Atlantic Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Wes Bottenburg, Sr., D, Tulsa Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year Leo Stritter, Sr., Charlotte Filip Sabatti, Jr., Memphis Preseason All-Conference Mathis Richter, So., D, UAB Natsuki Ogata, Jr., F, Charlotte Leo Stritter, Sr., GK, Charlotte Mamadou Diarra, Gr., F, Florida Atlantic* Aboubacar Traore, Sr., M, Florida Atlantic Sebastian Zettl, Sr., M, Florida Atlantic João Domíngues, Sr., D, FIU Eduardo Mustre, Sr., F, FIU Owen Travis, Gr., D, FIU Lucho Galizi, 6th, F, Memphis* Ryan Ruguaru, So., D, Memphis Filip Sabatti, Jr., GK, Memphis Alex Matthews, Jr., M, Missouri State Pedro Faife, Jr., M, South Florida* Tyler Richardson, So., D, South Florida Wes Bottenburg, Sr., D, Tulsa* denotes unanimous selection |
