BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- A trio of Auburn University at Montgomery men's soccer players earned Preseason All-Gulf South Conference recognition, and the Warhawks were picked to finish second in the conference as released by the league on Thursday, Aug. 11.
Goalkeeper
Alexander Kraus, defender
Jamos Hauk, and midfielder
Phillip Spickenbaum all earned preseason All-GSC honors for the Warhawks. Brothers
Brayden Strait and
Andrew Strait, were also recognized by the GSC as part of the Newcomers Watch List.
Kraus, a 2021 First Team All-GSC selection, was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year last season for the Warhawks. He garnered United Soccer Coaches All-South Region Second Team honors, and was also a First Team D2CCA All-South Region selection. Krause ranked first in the GSC and fifth in the nation with a 0.57 goals against average and pitched 10 shutouts last year, which ranked third-most in the nation.
Hauk, a 2021 Second Team All-GSC selection, made 18 starts last season for AUM and helped lead a backline that conceded just 0.85 goals per game along with 10 shutouts. He also contributed a trio of goals offensively for the Warhawks.
Spickenbaum, a 2021 Second Team All-GSC selection, made 17 starts for the Warhawks and took a team-high 35 shots. He posted four goals and one assist, and tallied the game-winning penalty kick in double overtime against West Alabama to send AUM into the GSC tournament semifinals last season.
Brayden Strait, a freshman from South Riding, Va., was named to the GSC Newcomers Watch List. Strait, a defender, comes from Huntsville High School where he served as a team captain. Brother
Andrew Strait, a junior from South Riding, Va., is a transfer from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
AUM was picked by the league's coaches to finish second in the league and garnered three first-place votes. The team checks in at No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll.
The Warhawks, who finished last season 11-5-4 overall and 7-2-2 in the GSC, fought their way to the NCAA Division II "Elite Eight" last season. The 11 wins marked the program's highest win total since the 2014 campaign.
2022 GSC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
First-place votes in ()
1. West Florida (6) – 114
2. Auburn Montgomery (3) – 111
3. Lee (1) – 96
4. Montevallo (2) – 93
5. Mississippi College – 90
6. Christian Brothers – 69
7. Spring Hill – 52
8. Alabama Huntsville – 50
9. West Alabama – 45
10. Union – 38
11. Delta State – 22
12. Shorter – 12
2022 GSC PRESEASON ALL-GSC TEAM
| POSITION |
NAME |
SCHOOL |
YEAR |
HOMETOWN |
| GK |
Alexander Kraus* |
Auburn Montgomery |
Gr. |
Duisburg, Germany |
| D |
Joshua Davies! |
Mississippi College |
Jr. |
Southampton, England |
| D |
Jeremy Bischoff* |
Lee |
Gr. |
Hohenems, Austria |
| D |
Jamos Hauk! |
Auburn Montgomery |
Sr. |
Aglasterhausen, Germany |
| M |
Eemeli Makela* |
Lee |
Gr. |
Espoo, Finland |
| M |
Fabian Navarro* |
Lee |
So. |
Dalton, Ga. |
| M |
Phillip Spickenbaum! |
Auburn Montgomery |
Gr. |
Niederkrüchten, Germany |
| M |
Tom Toulson |
Delta State |
Sr. |
Barnsley, England |
| F |
Keegan Ancelin* |
West Florida |
So. |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
| F |
Kainan Dos Santos* |
West Florida |
Jr. |
Sao Paulo, Brazil |
| F |
Noah Wagner! |
Mississippi College |
Sr. |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
| AL |
Edin Hernandez! |
Montevallo |
Gr. |
Tampa, Fla. |
* - First Team All-GSC Selection in 2021
! - Second Team All-GSC Selection in 2021
