The 2024 edition of the Penn State Altoona men's soccer team will rely heavily on new faces, while returning several key components from last year's squad. The 2023 Lions team went 7-6-1 overall, including going 6-3 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, and the team was picked fifth in this year's Preseason Coaches' Poll.

"We have had a good amount of turnover on the roster," said Penn State Altoona men's soccer head coach Andrew Beverly, who is coming into his third season with the program. "But we brought in a strong class that should be able to progress us and hopefully push the top teams in the conference."

Penn State Altoona's top returners from last year come from the defensive end of the pitch, and they are also the team's four senior players: defender/midfielder Jonathan Hill (Spring Grove, PA/Spring Grove), defender/midfielder Bailey Musselman (Altoona, PA/Altoona), defender Owen Myers (Spring Grove, PA/Spring Grove), and goalkeeper Sasha Mohoruk (State College, PA/State College).

Myers and Mohoruk were both all-conference players last season, with Myers being voted second-team All-AMCC and Mohoruk taking third-team honors. Meanwhile, Hill started all 14 games for the Lions and Musselman was the team's second-leading goal scorer with four.

"We return the majority of our backline, so that should be a strength of ours," said Beverly. "At keeper, we return our starter, all-conference goalkeeper, but we have two strong options to push Sasha."

Unlike defense and keeper, the forward and midfield positions will feature more new faces who will be competing for playing time.

"We have lots of new blood in the attack, so it'll be a work in progress to find the right balance and consistency in attack," said Beverly. "There should be solid options in the midfield that can help us to control games."

Beverly also points to three newcomers to the team who already figure to see significant playing time from the start of the season: Matias Harte, Colin Murphy, and forward Giovanny Furbino (Kearny, NJ/Kearny).

"They have done well and are in line for a lot of time," Beverly added.

Penn State Altoona men's soccer opens its 2024 season on the road, competing against Grove City College (Friday, August 30 at 6 p.m.) and Geneva College (Saturday, August 31 at 6:30 p.m.). The team's home opener is Saturday, September 21 at 6 p.m. against Wilson College, and its AMCC opener is on the road at La Roche University (Tuesday, October 1 at 4 p.m.).

Beverly hopes that his team will come together throughout the course of the season to make a push within the AMCC.

"Overall, our goal is to continue moving up and competing in the AMCC," he said.