A healthy Yannis Becker makes the Fort Lewis College men’s soccer team not only one of the most dangerous sides in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, but the country as well.
The junior midfielder from Sittensen, Germany, was selected as the RMAC Preseason Player of the Year on Tuesday by the league’s coaches.
He ranked second in the league last season with 33 points, which he totaled with 12 goals and seven assists.
Becker also was named a second-team All-American by Daktronics last season.
Fellow junior Luke Lawrence joined him on the Preseason All-RMAC Team.
Lawrence scored nine goals last year, three of which were game-winning scores.
Colorado Mesa’s Blake Carlson was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and UC-Colorado Springs’ David Meyes the Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year.
Defending RMAC Tournament champion Colorado Mines received top billing in the RMAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 96 points and six first-place votes.
FLC, coming off an 11-8 season, was slotted second with 96 points without receiving a first-place vote.
Metro State and Regis tied for third with 73 points.
Colorado Mesa, who won the conference’s regular season title and reached the national semifinals last year, received four first-place votes and 73 points, good for fifth despite being ranked fourth in the country by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America preseason poll.
UC-Colorado Springs got the last first-place vote and 66 points for sixth.
CSU-Pueblo, Colorado Christian and Adams State went 7-8-9, respectively, followed by conference newcomers South Dakota Mines and Westminster tied for 10th.
The Skyhawks will open the season Sept. 4 at Midwestern State. FLC will play their first home game Sept. 11 against West Texas A&M and open RMAC play Sept. 18 at Regis.
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