Lansing Sun

Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List, as announced by the conference office on Wednesday.

Juniors Jeremy Sharp, Jake Spadafora, and Jonathan Stout were all honored by the league.

The Big Ten preseason poll was also released Tuesday, as voted on by the 11 conference coaches. This is the first season the league has expanded to 11 teams with the addition of UCLA and Washington. MSU was voted to pick fifth, while Indiana was once again picked to win the league. Penn State was voted second, while newcomer UCLA was picked third.

Sharp, who hails from Roseville, Michigan, earned a spot on the B1G Player to Watch list for the first time in his career. Last season, the defender earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, playing in all 15 games. Sharp ended the season with third-team All-North Region honors. He was tied for third on the team in scoring last season with seven points on one goal and a team-high five assists.

Stout, a native of Wyoming, Michigan, was second on the team in scoring last season with 10 points on five goals. The midfielder was named to the preseason list last season as well. Stout was also named first-team All-Big Ten as a sophomore. He also captured first-team All-North Region honors.

Spadafora, a forward who hails from Northville, Michigan, was tied for third on the team in scoring with three goals and one assist for seven points. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season and captured second-team All-North Region accolades. Spadafora was also named to the watch list last season.

Michigan State opens the regular season at SIUE on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 9 p.m. ET at Ralph Korte Stadium in Edwardsville, Illinois. MSU opens the home season against Bowling Green on Monday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m.

2024 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL

1. Indiana (Unanimous)

2. Penn State

3. UCLA

4. Washington

5. Michigan State

6. Ohio State

7. Maryland

8. Northwestern

9. Rutgers

10. Michigan

11. Wisconsin

2024 BIG TEN MEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST:

Indiana - Samuel Sarver (SR, F); Patrick McDonald (SR, M); Justin Weiss (GR, F)      

Maryland - Alex Nitzl (GR, M); William Kulvik (SR, D); Bjarne Thiesen (GR, D)      

Michigan - Bryce Blevins (SR, M); Jason Bucknor (SR,D/M); Nolan Miller (JR,D)    

Michigan State - Jonathan Stout (JR,M); Jake Spadafora (JR,F); Jeremy Sharp(JR,D)  Northwestern - Nigel Prince(JR,D); Collin McCamy(SR,M); Fritz Volmar(SO,D) Ohio State - Michael Adedokun(SR,M/F); Siggi Magnusson(SR,D); Luciano Pechota(JR,M)Penn State - Caden Grabfelder(SO,M); Mohamed Cisset(SO,D); Matthew Henderson(JR,D)

Rutgers - Curt Calov(SR,M); Joey Zalinsky(SR,D); Ola Maeland(GR,F) UCLA - Jose Contell(R-SR,F), Andre Ochoa(SR,F), Pablo Greenlee(SR,D)

Washington - Peter Kingston(SR,M), Richie Aman(JR,M), Sean Sent(SR,M)

Wisconsin - Birgir Baldvinsson(SR,D), Trip Fleming(SO,M), Kevin Andrews(SR,F)