For a second-straight season, the Loyola Maryland men's soccer team has been selected the preseason favorites in the Patriot League . Junior Barry Sharifi was also voted the Preseason Patriot League Midfield Player of the Year for a second-straight season, and he was joined by junior forwards Josh Fawole and Brian Saramago, senior midfielder Gabe Carlsson, senior defender A. Mickey Watson and sophomore goalkeeper Chase Vosvick on the 12-member Preseason All-Patriot League Team. Loyola, winners of the Patriot League regular season a year ago, returns players who scored all 29 goals, 37 assists and 95 points from last season. The Greyhounds open Aug. 27 when they host Rutgers at 7 p.m. ... Saramago is one of 32 NCAA Division I soccer players named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.
Coaching: Navy promoted Mark Risbridger to assistant coach and added Mamadou Diouf as volunteer assistant coach for the Midshipmen.
Et Cetera
Baltimore City CC to hostfree youth basketball camp
Bart Butler will host the Ball Stars Youth Camp from Aug. 20 to 24 at Baltimore City Community College. The camp will be led by former NBA players Otis Birdsong and Michael Ray Richardson. It is a free program. Its goal is to provide underserved boys and girls in the community with a chance to learn basketball skills from retired NBA players and learn valuable life skills from local business leaders, law enforcement and educators. In addition to teaching basketball skills, business and local community leaders will share their experiences with campers during brief morning and afternoon mentoring sessions. Breakfast and lunch, along with equipment will be provided to all participants. Students will also receive free backpacks filled with school supplies. There will be morning and afternoon sessions. The morning is for students 8-12 years old and will be held from 8 a.m. to noon. The afternoon is for students 13-17 years old and will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. For information, email
charmain@evolutioncommunicationsgrp.com or call 443-768-7703.
Major League Soccer: D.C. United midfielder Luciano Acosta was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters.
NBA: The Washington Wizards announced the team's five-game preseason schedule, which features three home games. Washington will begin at home with matchups against the Knicks on Oct. 1 and Heat on Oct. 5. The team will travel to New York for a rematch with the Knicks on Oct. 8, and to Detroit to face the Pistons on Oct. 10. The Wizards will wrap up their preseason schedule when they face the Guangzhou Long-Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association on Oct. 12 at Capital One Arena for the second consecutive preseason.
— From Sun staff and news services