Big Ten Names Acosta, Myers and Temple Players to Watch

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten announced its 2022 men’s soccer preseason honors Monday afternoon, naming Matthew Acosta, MD Myers and Jackson Temple as Players to Watch. The team was also picked to finish fifth in the conference standings.  

Acosta, a sophomore midfielder from Annandale, New Jersey, started all 17 games of his freshman season. He earned his first collegiate point with an assist in a 1-0 victory over Penn (Sept. 20) while also recording a helper against Michigan State (Oct. 10). Acosta was unanimously picked for the All-Big Ten Freshman Team and was ranked No. 51 in the 2021 Top Drawer Soccer Midseason Freshman Rankings.  

A transfer from High Point, Myers is primed to make a big impact on the Scarlet Knights this fall. He recorded 51 career points with the Panthers on 21 goals and nine assists throughout three seasons. At the end of the 2020 regular season, Myers was tied for the most goals in Division I soccer with 14. To end his sophomore campaign, he was also chosen as the Big South Offensive Player of the Year and named to the All-Big South First Team.  

An All-Big Ten Second Team selection, Temple led Rutgers last season with six goals and two assists for 14 total points. He ended the fall 2021 slate on a high note with four goals and 10 points over the final four contests. The Scarlet Knights were 4-1 last season when Temple found the back of the net. The senior forward was also just named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Players to Watch forwards list.  

The Scarlet Knights return 23 student-athletes overall and 12 players with eight or more starts from the 2021 roster that went 9-6-2, the most wins in a campaign since 2015.

The team will open the fall 2022 slate with a trip to Omaha on Thursday, Aug. 25 for an 8 p.m. start. After facing Creighton on Sunday, Aug. 28 (7:30 p.m.), the squad will challenge Princeton in their home opener on Friday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. at Yurcak Field.  

Follow Rutgers men’s soccer on Twitter and Instagram (@RUMensSoccer) for all of the latest news and updates. The team is also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersMensSoccer). For all Rutgers Athletics news follow us on Twitter (@RUAthletics), Instagram (@RUAthletics), and Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics). For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.   

2022 BIG TEN MEN’S SOCCER PRESEASON POLL 

1. Penn State 

2. Indiana 

3. Maryland 

4. Michigan 

5. Rutgers 

6. Michigan State 

7. Northwestern 

8. Wisconsin 

9. Ohio State 

2022 BIG TEN MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST 

Herbert Endeley, Sr., M, Indiana 

Daniel Munie, RS-Sr., D, Indiana 

Ryan Wittenbrink, RS-Sr., M, Indiana 

Josh Bolma, RS-So., F, Maryland 

Malcolm Johnston, Sr., M, Maryland 

Niklas Neumann, Sr., GK, Maryland 

Bryce Blevins, Jr., M, Michigan 

Kevin Buca, Grad., M, Michigan 

Iñaki Rodriguez, Sr., M, Michigan 

Jack Beck, Grad., M, Michigan State 

Greyson Mercer, Jr., F, Michigan State 

Will Perkins, RS-Sr., D, Michigan State 

Vicente Castro, Sr., M, Northwestern 

Ethan Dudley, Grad., D, Northwestern 

Justin Weiss, Jr., F, Northwestern 

Xavier Green, Sr., M, Ohio State 

Laurence Wootton, Jr., M, Ohio State 

Deylen Vellios, Jr., D, Ohio State 

Obafemi Awodesu, Jr., D, Penn State 

Seth Kuhn, Grad., M, Penn State 

Peter Mangione, Jr., F, Penn State 

Matthew Acosta, So., M, Rutgers 

MD Myers, Sr., F, Rutgers 

Jackson Temple, Sr., F, Rutgers 

Tim Bielic, Jr., M, Wisconsin 

Inaki Iribarren, Sr., M, Wisconsin 

Ignasi Marques, Sr., M, Wisconsin