San José, Calif. - The Western Athletic Conference released its 2021 preseason all-conference team on Tuesday and San José State seniors Max Allen, Carlos Gomez-Zavala and Willy Miranda were all honored by the conference's head coaches.
The program's three honorees are tied for the most of any team in the league.
starting off on the right foot ??
— San José State Men's Soccer (@SanJoseStateMS) August 17, 2021
our three selections to the preseason all-conference team is tied for the most in @WACsports this season.
??: https://t.co/9RW87EtVPx#SpartanUp pic.twitter.com/ksyqayWZUN
Allen - a preseason All-WAC selection for a third straight season - also earned first team All-WAC honors upon the completion of the last two campaigns. He has started every match he has appeared in throughout his first four seasons with SJSU.
A master in the midfield, the Liverpool native tallied five assists in six matches a season ago.
Joining Allen on the preseason All-WAC team is the fellow senior midfielder Gomez-Zavala. An honorable mention All-WAC selection at the end of the 2020-21 campaign, the Palo Alto product notched four assists and was one of four Spartans to start each match last season.
Rounding out San José State's honorees is Miranda. The Alisal HS product is coming off a dominant third season in the program, a campaign in which he finished second on the team in goals (four) while also recording a pair of assists.
Also announced Wednesday was this year's preseason coaches poll. The Spartans received a total of 94 points and two first-place votes on the 12 ballots that were submitted, finishing third in the tally of the conference's coaches.
SJSU opened the exhibition portion of its season on Sunday night, earning a 2-2 draw against the Pac-12's California Golden Bears at Spartan Soccer Complex.
The Spartans will play one more friendly on Wednesday at San Francisco before opening the regular season on Aug. 28 at CSU Bakersfield.
Preseason All-Conference Team
Max Allen, MF, San José State
Willy Miranda, F, San José State
Carlos Gomez-Zavala, MF, San José State
Maximillian Moeller, F, Grand Canyon
Reshaun Walkes, F, UTRGV
Noe Meza, MF, Seattle U
Justin Rasmussen, MF, Grand Canyon
London Aghedo, D, Air Force
Thomas Beecham, D, California Baptist
Esai Easley, D, Grand Canyon
Akili Kasim, GK, Seattle U
2021 Western Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Grand Canyon (6) - 110 points
2. Seattle U (4) - 108
3. San José State (2) - 94
4. Air Force - 89
5. UTRGV - 86
6. California Baptist - 76
7. UNLV - 68
8. Utah Valley - 55
9. Incarnate Word - 38
10. Dixie State - 27
10. Houston Baptist - 27
12. Chicago State - 14