The 2024 MAC Commonwealth Men’s Soccer Championship: A Preview
The 2024 MAC Commonwealth Men’s Soccer Championship is set to take place from November 8th to November 13th at the MAC Hermann Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The tournament will feature the top four teams from the MAC Commonwealth regular season standings. The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
The four teams that have qualified for the tournament are Hofstra University, James Madison University, the United States Military Academy at West Point, and the College of William & Mary. Hofstra is the defending champion, having won the tournament in 2022. James Madison is the No. 1 seed in the tournament, while Hofstra is the No. 2 seed. Army is the No. 3 seed, and William & Mary is the No. 4 seed.
The tournament will be played in a single-elimination format. The semifinals will be played on November 8th, and the championship game will be played on November 13th. All games will be streamed live on ESPN+
Tournament Preview
Hofstra is the favorite to win the tournament. The Pride are ranked No. 1 in the MAC Commonwealth and have a 10-2-2 record this season. Hofstra has a high-powered offense led by forward Ryan Carmichael, who has scored 10 goals this season. The Pride also have a strong defense, led by goalkeeper Luke McDonough, who has a 0.82 goals against average.
James Madison is the No. 1 seed in the tournament, but the Dukes have not been playing as well as Hofstra this season. James Madison is 7-4-3 this season and has not won a game since September 24th. The Dukes will need to find a way to get their offense going if they want to win the tournament.
Army is the No. 3 seed in the tournament. The Black Knights are 6-5-4 this season and have a balanced team. Army has a solid defense, led by goalkeeper Cole Winn, who has a 1.05 goals against average. The Black Knights also have a good offense, led by forward Ethan Conley, who has scored five goals this season.
William & Mary is the No. 4 seed in the tournament. The Tribe are 5-7-3 this season and have not won a game since October 1st. William & Mary will need to find a way to turn things around if they want to win the tournament.
Key Players to Watch
Here are some of the key players to watch in the 2024 MAC Commonwealth Men’s Soccer Championship:
- Ryan Carmichael, Hofstra: Forward, 10 goals this season
- Luke McDonough, Hofstra: Goalkeeper, 0.82 goals against average
- Ethan Conley, Army: Forward, 5 goals this season
- Cole Winn, Army: Goalkeeper, 1.05 goals against average
- Jack Freeman, James Madison: Forward, 4 goals this season
- CJ Franks, William & Mary: Forward, 3 goals this season
Prediction
Hofstra is the favorite to win the 2024 MAC Commonwealth Men’s Soccer Championship. The Pride have a strong offense and a solid defense. James Madison is the No. 1 seed in the tournament, but the Dukes have not been playing as well as Hofstra this season. Army and William & Mary are both long shots to win the tournament, but they could make a run if they can get hot at the right time.
