WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The Monmouth University men’s soccer team has been selected to represent the Northeast Conference in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, according to TopDrawerSoccer.com. The website anointed the Hawks as the 46th best team in the nation in its latest NCAA Tournament projection. According to the projection, MU will face Creighton from the Missouri Valley Conference.

The 2009 Men’s NCAA Tournament 48 is a running attempt to project the postseason college soccer tournament qualifiers, including every automatic conference berth. Thus, some college soccer teams will not be included that are included in other rankings lists. Updated rankings are released every Monday.

The Hawks were selected by the NEC’s head coaches as the top team in the league’s annual preseason poll last week, as well. Head Coach Robert McCourt has guided the Blue and White to a 26-3-7 mark in league play over the last four seasons, including last year's 6-1-2 NEC record.

MU will again feature a handful of the top players in the region in 2009, starting with reigning First Team All-Northeast Conference and NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division I All-North Atlantic Region Second Team defender Daniel Bostock (Nottinghamshire, England/Virginia Intermont). Joining Bostock on defense is junior goalkeeper Bryan Meredith (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood), who recorded a conference-best 10 shutouts in 2008. He also ranked seventh in the country with a .857 save percentage and tenth with a 0.54 goals against average.

On the opposite side of the pitch, the Hawks return two of the nation's best in junior forwards Chase Barbieri (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) and Ryan Kinne (Naugatuck, Conn./Naugatuck). The crafty goal-scoring duo was recently named to the 2009 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List and paced the club with 10 goals (tied for fourth in NEC) apiece last season. Tabbed an NSCAA/adidas All-North Atlantic Region first team performer and All-NEC second team honoree, Barbieri managed to find the back of the net in clutch situations, logging six game-winning goals (second in NEC), including the tally that gave the Hawks a 2-1 double overtime win over CCSU that clinched the regular season title last fall. Ranking among the top-10 in the league in nine offensive categories, Kinne dished out six assists (tied for second in NEC) to amass 26 points, good for fourth on the circuit. Kinne was also an all-conference selection, claiming a spot on the first team, and joined Barbieri on the All-North Atlantic Region first team.